Coffin of Hope
by NeneJPhilly
Summary: “Together in a coffin of hope…”
1. Chapter One

**_It's my birthday and I've decided to share a story I started that's very special to me. It's Marcy centric but deals with all the Fabanges and it really delves into heavy themes. Be ready to have some tissues on hand._**

**_Enjoy and review!_**

**_NJPNJPNJP_**

Marcy Jones swung her legs slowly as she thought. She was sitting along the railing of a bridge and was full of prescription pills and alcohol. Her mind was delightfully clear like it'd been harder and harder to achieve lately but things were going her way.

For once.

Since coming to Russia, she made sure to be drunk and/or high in some way or form every day. It was the only way for her to deal with what she'd done.

She sighed deeply and held her legs up to her chest, pitching a bit before getting her bearings. She was wearing a thin nightdress and no shoes. She wore literally nothing else. But that was fine.

What she was about to do, she didn't need anything. She'd already written the letter to her landlord. It basically said to give her clothes to charity and any household goods he could keep.

She owned nothing else.

She'd lived the past five years like this. Owning nothing, owing no one. She slept on the floor under a mess of covers in her small two room apartment. She had soap and a towel, toothpaste and a toothbrush, toilet paper and cleaning supplies in the bathroom and one pot and one pan in the kitchenette along with a small amount of food in the fridge.

The only thing she had in abundance was alcohol.

She thought through her to do list as a leg slipped and waved in the October wind. She cleaned her apartment last night, written her letter with a clear head and taken drugs and drank. She took off her clothes and shoes and walked in the middle of the night to a far off bridge.

The air had taken care of some of her buzz but the drugs had kicked in as she climbed the railing. Now she was sitting on an iron piece of railing, watching the sun come up.

It was officially October 14th. It was a very special day. At least to her. She could never apologize enough but she'd tried in the letter even though she doubted anyone would tell him.

The familiar sadness enveloped her as she thought about him. What she'd done to him. He could never forgive her because she'd never forgive herself.

She had had her reasons then and they still held up. She hated that things were the way they were but that was life. It sucked and then you died.

She wondered about them. What they looked like. What they loved. Who they were as people. They were five now and would be mini people.

It caused her unbearable sadness to think about them but she knew she'd done the right thing. She couldn't be a mother. Now they'd have a good life. A life better than hers and what she could give them.

She sniffled, unaware that she'd started crying. It hurt so bad but she'd done the right thing. She refused to ruin their lives. But oh did it hurt. She dreamt about them every night.

She wiped her nose. They had to be living a good life. She'd picked the perfect men to raise her darlings. She only wished they could have had that good life with her.

She was going around in circles and was getting tired. She leaned her head back against a pole and took a deep breath.

It'll all be over soon anyway. She didn't know why she hadn't done it sooner. Her life was horrid but she continued living. Why? That didn't make any logical sense to her.

Which brought her to now.

She leaned over a bit to watch the choppy waters churn. Her last selfish act. She'd always loved water. It healed her like no other. It always had the power to calm her. Now it was going to free her.

A calmness settled over her as she realized she was really going to do it. So she leaned over all the way and jumped in.

The water was icy and burned her skin. She swam as far down as she could, hoping it was down far enough that when her survival instincts kicked in, she'd be too far down.

It seemed as though that was the case as her lungs burned and her limbs became heavy. She opened her mouth in a silent scream.

And that was it as everything went black.

**_OF_**

Mal Chang changed cameras and went back to take more pictures of the models. "Perfect! Perfect!"

The model in front smiled enticingly and batted her eyes at him, not just doing it for the camera's sake.

He noticed and winked. "Okay, take a break!"

The group relaxed and went to get food from craft services.

He went through the shots as the flirtatious model slithered up to him. "Hi, Mr. Chang."

"Hello." He grinned though he didn't look at her or pause his perusal.

"I know you're a professional but if you find yourself bored…" She slipped her card in the front of his jeans pocket. "Call me."

"Maybe I will?" He still didn't give her the attention she craved.

She pouted before leaving him, shaking what little behind she had.

He stopped for a moment, reminiscing on the past, on a behind he'd loved. But there was nothing he could do about that so he blinked the pain away and grinned to himself. He could be sad in private. He was around people now.

"Break's over, people! Let's get back to work!"

**_OF_**

Greg Davidson coughed into his fist before clicking a key on his computer. He frowned as he read the words that were translating from Russian to American English. He mumbled the words to himself before his eyes widened. "Josh! Honey, come look!"

Josh Davidson walked in with a cloth over his mouth, coughing. "Yes, dear?"

"I think I've found her!" Greg pointed to the screen.

"Who her? Oh! _Her_! Where is she?!"

Greg smiled smugly. "Russia."


	2. Chapter Two

Greg checked the vitals on the comatose woman. Her skin was turning blue again. He rang for another blanket.

The nurse tsked. "Too frail. She die soon. Poor sickly girl."

Greg was appalled by her words but the look in her tired eyes made him feel better. She actually seemed to care. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Her heavy accent hung in the air after she'd gone.

He sat back down, drinking his Turkish coffee. "Come on, Marcy. Wake up."

**_OF_**

Mal unlocked his door and entered his large apartment. He took his shoes off at the door and hung up his jacket. He took the rest of his belongings to the kitchen and played the messages from his home phone.

He never had a lot because most people didn't have the number. But his mother did. Hers was the first message. "_Hi, honey. I know we talked on your birthday but I know how hard it is this time of year._

_I can come out for a while. Bring Maddie. We can go to that one Italian place you talk about. Your father is sick. I know you didn't see eye to eye when you left but he's your father._

_Anyway, I love you. I miss you. Bye._" The recording stopped on her sniffles.

He felt bad. He should definitely invite her out to San Francisco but he wasn't going home. He was never going back to Ohio again. It was too painful.

Before he could dwell on his father's mysterious illness, the next message played. "_Hello? I'm looking for a Malcolm Chang Sr._"

That captured his attention. Not many people knew he was a senior.

"_This is Josh Davidson. I'm not sure if you'll call me back but it's urgent._" Josh rattled off his phone number before hanging up.

Mal was in awe. He hadn't talked to Josh in two years. Even then it hadn't been a long conversation.

_Are the kids alright?_ He worried. That made him think about _everything_ and he shut down. Shaking his body, he got himself under control.

He turned off the answering machine and went about looking through the fridge for something to eat. He'll call later.

**_OF_**

Greg looked over just in time to see her fingers twitch. "Are you waking up?"

Her fingers twitched again.

He took her hand and squeezed. "Come on, Marcy. You can do it."

She went still.

"Come on. Come on, girl. Just open those eyes."

He could tell her eyes were moving from behind her bruised eyelids but they stubbornly remained closed.

"It's okay. You'll get up soon."

**_OF_**

Mal placed his house phone between his face and shoulder as he puttered around his darkroom.

The phone rang four times before someone picked up. "Hello?"

"Hello. This is Mal Chang returning your call-"

"Oh my goodness! It's you!"

"Yes…?"

"Sorry. We weren't sure if it was you because you changed your number- eghk! I'm rambling. I'm just really excited to hear your voice!"

"Really?" That confused Mal.

"Yes. We found her!"

The phone slipped and Mal had to hurry to catch it. He immediately knew who "her" was. "What?!"

"Oh crap! I didn't mean to blurt it out! I was going to lead up to it in a dignified-"

"Where is she?!" Mal didn't care about anything else.

"Before I tell you where in the world she is-"

"What? She's not in the U.S.?" That made a lot of sense. She'd never stayed stateside so why would she when she ran away?

"No." Josh paused.

Mal waited but he didn't go on. "Well…? Where is she?"

"In a hospital."

"What?" Mal didn't expect that. His instincts warred with his anger. His angel of darkness was hurt?

"Yes. There was an accident."

"Is she okay?" Everything in Mal stilled so he could hear the answer.

"We're not sure." Josh hesitated.

"How are you not sure?! Either she is or she isn't!"

"She's in a coma."

"A coma." Mal wiped his face in agitation.

"Greg is with her. The doctors think that she'll make it but she has to pull through soon."

"Where is she?"

"I don't know, Mal." Uncertainty colored Josh's voice.

"Where is she?" Mal was serious.

"Moscow."

"Russia?!" Plans flew through his head.

"Yes."

"Thank you for calling."

"Wait! We wanted to get in touch with you for another reason. The reason we renewed our search for her."

"Yes?"

"Would you like to visit?"

Mal almost dropped the phone again. He hurried to put the receiver back to his ear. "Visit?"

"Yes."

"Of-of course."

"Good. We can set something up for the weekend."

"Yeah. Sure. Any time works for me." That wasn't actually true but Mal wouldn't miss meeting up for anything in the world.

"I'll text you later. I'm really glad I got a hold of you, Mal."

"Me too." Mal's voice thickened with tears.

"Goodbye. See you this weekend."

"See you." Mal hung up. He was quite honestly stunned. He didn't know what to do. Part of him wanted to look up flights to Russia while another part wanted to wait for the weekend. He didn't want to miss them.

So in the end, he called his mom.

**_OF_**

Greg stared at Marcy's resting face. "You can do it. Squeeze my hand. You can do it. Come on. Squeeze my hand, Marcy. You can do it."

Marcy remained still.

"Move?" The nurse asked as she walked around the curtain.

"No." Greg sighed. "She's not moving."

She clucked. "Move soon or else."

That was what worried Greg. He waited while the nurse changed the comatose girl and washed her light skin. She changed her IV bags and checked her monitors before leaving, clucking again.

Greg went to his phone and played a video. "They want to meet you. You have no idea how much they love you and want you. Listen to them."

He shoved the device up to her ear and played it from the beginning. He was so focused on holding back tears that he didn't see her hand twitch.

Tears were slipping down his face so he didn't see her arm move until her hand grappled for his. He started with a jolt and his eyes streaked to her face. "Marcy?! Are you waking up?!"

It took a minute but she eventually peeled her jade eyes open.

He was struck (like the first time he'd looked in her eyes) and it took him a minute to catch his breath. "Hi, sweetheart. Welcome back to Earth."


	3. Chapter Three

**_I'm going to upload a chapter of this a week._**

**_Enjoy and review!_**

**_NJPNJPNJP_**

Mal ran his hands over his pants legs nervously. He didn't know what to do with himself. He'd been waiting three hours but that was his fault. He'd shown up nearly four hours early.

"Mal?!" A voice yelled out.

He turned to view who spoke. He stood when he saw Josh. With him were two five year olds. His heart stopped. They were beautiful…

Josh stopped in front of him and shook his hand vigorously. "It's great to see you again!"

Mal nodded but frowned a little as he looked at Josh. He appeared sick. Very sick. "It's great to see you, too."

Josh knelt in back of the gawking kids. "Mally, Mickey? This is your first daddy, Mal Chang."

Mickey looked between all three males before craning her neck to speak directly to Mal. "Mally looks like you."

Mal smiled. Her tiny voice was heavenly. "I see."

She paused before asking him a question. "Do I look like my mommy?"

"Just as beautiful." He knelt next to her.

"Daddy and Daddy say that she was a raving beauty. Was she?"

"Yes, she was."

"They said you were deeply in love."

"We were."

"They said she was really smart."

"She was the smartest person I know."

"Where is she now?"

Mal paled and looked at Josh.

Josh gulped. "Don't you want to show Daddy the pictures we brought with us?"

"Uh huh!" Mickey nodded and took Mal's hand.

As she led him back to the bench he'd been sitting on, Mal's heart flip-flopped. He was going to look through pictures with his little girl.

She let him go to climb on the seat then reached out for her adoptive father. "Books, Daddy!"

Mal smiled. She was as bossy as her mother.

Josh brought over the photo albums.

"Would you like to see, Mally?"

The little boy shook his head. He looked to Josh. "Daddy, can I go play with that dog?"

Josh wanted them to bond but knew he couldn't force it. Still… he only had a limited amount of time. "For a little bit. Then I want you to come over and sit with us."

Mally threw an evil look at Mal and ran off.

"I'm sorry about him." Josh apologized. "He hit his terrible twos early and never let them go."

"Have you met Marcy?" Mal smirked.

Mickey beamed at having both of them relaxed. She opened the top photo album and pointed. "This is my favoritest picture."

**_OF_**

"How are you, sweetie?" Greg poked his head around the curtain with a large smile.

Marcy looked at him.

"Remember me from yesterday?"

She blinked.

"What about the day before? When you woke up?"

She said nothing.

He tapped the nurse on the arm. "Has she spoken at all?"

The nurse shook her head. "She bad with lights. Loud noises. Men. Hurt big time."

Greg made a low growling noise low in his throat. "She doesn't seem bothered by me though?"

"Maybe she remember you?" The nurse left.

Greg sat down. "Can you even understand me?"

Marcy stared at him.

"The doctor explained that you had a concussion, right? You know what that means? You might have some memory loss."

She blinked.

"Do you remember the video I played for you two days ago?"

She said nothing.

He took his phone out and showed her. He played the video but as soon as she saw who was in it, she took it from him and put it under her pillow.

He found that quite strange. "Do you want to keep it? I can put it on a DVD. Would you like that?"

"I'm not a child." Though soft and raspy, her voice was clear.

"You can talk?!" He wasn't sure if it was a question.

"My throat works fine."

"You haven't said anything in two days!"

"I've gone longer."

He didn't know how to respond to that so he didn't. "Well this is easier. I'm taking you back to America."

She was shaking her head before he even finished.

"Yes, I am."

She shook her head again.

"Marcy, they will not let you go without supervision. I volunteered. That may not be what you want-"

"It's not."

He stared at her flatly. "You're coming with me. Back to America. To San Francisco."

"No."

"Yes."

"I am not."

He was tired of arguing with her. "Maybe I should just call your father-?"

"No!" She leaned forward with her hands outstretched as if to physically stop him.

"Then what is it going to take to get you to California?"

"Hotel."

"Hotel?" He cocked his head.

"I want to stay in a hotel. Not even a fancy one. It can be Motel 6."

He frowned. He wasn't going to have her stay in a motel. "Marcy,-"

"Take it or leave it."

"Fine. I'll book you a room."

"And leave my father out of this."

"I can do that."

"And when we part ways, you don't contact me again."

His heart sank. "Agreed."

"Then I'll go to California with you."

"Thank you."

"But I don't want to see them."

He stilled from getting a glass of water. "Huh?"

"You heard me. I don't want to see your children."

He debated arguing and instead lied. "Done."

**_OF_**

Mal breathed deeply, still overly excited from his day. His princess was just as he'd imagined her to be; brilliant, capable, determined, strong, sweet, funny. He was as in love with her as the first time he held her.

He continued breathing as he dialed his mother's work number. She answered in her soft, meek voice. "Hello?"

"Hey, Mom. It's me."

"Mal?" So much hope was in her tone.

It broke his heart to know he broke hers by leaving. "Yeah."

"Hi, baby."

"Hi, Mom."

"Today is Saturday, isn't it?"

"Yep."

"So how was it?"

He blew out a big breath. "I can't believe it. I got to meet them. They're beautiful."

"They were born beautiful." There was a smile in her voice.

"I know but they're so much bigger now."

"Well they're five…"

"Mom…" He smiled. "He's taking a bit to warm up to me but she's all set. She showed me tons of pictures of them. Greg and Josh didn't miss a moment."

"Your pictures would have been better."

He stopped, unsure of how to go on. "They found her."

"Who found whom?"

"Greg and Josh. They found Marcy."

Mal could hear the phone clatter to a hard surface. A scream came down the line from far away before he heard the phone lifting. "Where is she?!"

"In a hospital in Russia."

"A _hospital_?! In _Russia_?!"

"Yeah."

"How many hospitals are in Russia?! We have to go! We have to find her!"

"Mom? Mom. Mom!"

"Yes?" Her breath came down the line harshly.

"Calm down."

He could hear her taking deep breaths. "I'm calm. But I have to call everyone."

"She's in a coma."

"What?! My baby!"

"Josh knows something but he's not telling me. I didn't want to scare the kids but I'm definitely going to get it out of him. Soon."

"Don't go to jail, honey." She said dryly.

"Thanks, Mom." His tone was just as arid.

"I love you. I don't want you in any more trouble. Although I would understand. Have you talked to your therapist about what's going on?"

"Um… no…" He tapped his fingers against his kitchen counter in an uneven rhythm.

"Mal! Talk to your therapist!"

"I will!" _The day **after **I die_.

"You better, young man! I have to get back to work and call everyone. Be very happy you had today. Mally will come around. He loves you. They both do. And so do I."

"I love you, too Mom."

"Goodbye, Mal."

"Goodbye, Mom." He hung up. That was the most spirit he'd heard out of his mom in years.

He set the phone aside and laid on the counter. He was freefalling again. He had no idea what to do with himself so he got up and grabbed his keys.

He left his apartment to go to the gym. Working out put him in a better mood and cleared his mind.

Hopefully it continued its success rate…

**_OF_**

Jeanette Chang had been broken for a long time. Most would say it was when her daughter ran away but honestly it started the day she was born. The cards were stacked against her since before that date so when it came, it all crumbled.

Her father was a stock broker, a businessman and a mobster. It didn't even sound good on paper and the reality was much worse. On top of it was his personality. The man was impossible to please and he liked no one.

Her mother was difficult but not impossible to please, strict and very distant. The Asian stereotype Jeanette had tried so hard to distance herself from. While Po had been the breadwinner and the most feared man in Japan, Xhi-Xhi had become the most feared housewife to other housewives although she technically had a high profile job. She was an art buyer.

Jeanette had never seen much of her parents growing up and still didn't so she barely knew them as people. At least until she started having kids. Then her parents started paying attention to her.

She was closer to her parents than before but it was still rocky. She was terrified of them. In every way that mattered when it came to fear.

But when Marcy first ran away, something in Jeanette broke. She couldn't believe the then sixteen year old would ever do such a thing.

And of course Jeanette's parents blamed Jeanette.

Especially Po, who was very fond of Marcy. Jeanette had been devastated and now was blamed.

It was harsh all the way around.

But now Marcy was found. Maybe they could put their family back together again?


	4. Chapter Four

**_I really like this story._**

**_Enjoy and review!_**

**_NJPNJPNJP_**

Mal set his phone down. Josh had just told him that Marcy was awake and coming back to America. He had no idea what to feel. There was anger, there was satisfaction, there was anger…

He hoped he didn't crawl all over her as soon as she stepped in the door. That would be bad but he had a lot of anger and hurt pent up because of her. He had to let it out. Right?

He decided to call his mom. "Hey, Mom."

"Mal?" Jeanette sounded like her old self.

"Hey."

"Hi. Have you seen the twins again?"

"No but I will. Today actually."

"Really? So soon? That's a good thing, right?"

"Yeah. But they won't be the only people I'll be seeing. Marcy will be there."

Jeanette screamed.

He yanked on his ear. "Mom?"

She stopped screaming. "Oh my goodness! How?!"

"I didn't tell you but she was in a coma and she woke up-"

"Coma?!" Jeanette screeched.

"And she woke up." He stressed. "Anyway, they've been traveling most of the day but they'll be in, in a few hours."

"It's morning."

He checked his phone and remembered he was five hours ahead. "Yeah. I'm sorry. It's late morning for me."

She huffed. "We want to see her. I told your father about it and he seems so much better. Marcus and Judy seem happy. I haven't told the rest of the kids. We don't know where Marc is and your sisters were all busy."

She didn't have to say anything about Mike (another sore spot in their family). "Maybe she'll come back and visit?"

She made an odd popping sound on a gasp. "Really? Do you think so?"

"I can ask." He made up his mind to.

"Oh thank you, Mal." She started weeping. "Maybe you can come with her?"

"I don't know, Mom." That was asking a lot of him.

"Please? Just think about it."

"I'll think about it." He waited a beat. "So you're going to work today?"

**_OF_**

Greg stopped the car in front of a house on a hill.

"Where are you going?" Marcy asked as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

"Inside. I need to get another credit card for the hotel." Greg lied with ease. "Come inside."

"No thank you." She refused.

"I know you have to use the bathroom. You haven't gone since I signed you out of the hospital."

She frowned. She really did have to go and she couldn't hold it. "Really quickly."

"You can go straight to the bathroom then we can meet at the door. It shouldn't take me but a moment."

She eyed his easy smile suspiciously but her bladder was telling her to trust him. So she got out.

He followed, texting on his phone.

They went up the long steps to the front door and he unlocked it, going inside. "Bathroom's down this hall."

"Thank-" Marcy stopped after turning from shutting the door. "You…"

Josh stood there with the twins and Mal walked into the living room from the kitchen.

She turned and tried to leave but Greg blocked the door. "Do you really think I won't hurt you?"

"I'm confident that you have to pee more than you have to hurt me."

"You're lucky I have the bladder of a fifty-six year old man." She pressed her hands to her abdomen. "Down what hall?"

"This hall." Greg pointed.

"Excuse me." Marcy bowed slightly to the others and quickly sprinted down the hall.

"That was her?" Mickey asked after it'd been quiet for a moment and no one had moved.

"She had to go potty really bad." Greg explained.

"She's so pretty!"

Greg smiled. "I told you."

"Can I go play?" Mally wanted to know.

"No." Josh told him. "You're going to sit here and talk to your mommy."

Mally made a mutinous face.

"Stop that."

Mally flung himself into the couch.

Josh looked at Mal, who was staring. "He's just a bit tired from school."

Mal nodded even though he didn't believe him.

There was faint footsteps coming back and they all turned to view Marcy coming back. She went to the door, where Greg was still blocking it. "Move."

"No." Greg refused.

"You do understand that I have absolutely no cares about snapping your arm?"

He gulped. "Well… you'll have to. You need to meet."

She reached for him then flinched when Mal called her name. "Marcy!"

She didn't turn around. "What?"

He had a thousand things to say but only one thing left his mouth. "Look at me."

She glared at Greg. "No."

"Look at me, Marce."

She whirled around. "Don't call me that!"

He stared at her hard emerald eyes. Just like anytime he gazed at her lovely eyes, they revealed exactly what she was feeling to him. She was scared. "It's okay."

"Shut up. Just shut up."

"They're great people."

"I know that!" She spat waspishly.

"How?" Josh was confused.

"I'm not staying here."

Mickey came forward. "Please?"

Marcy made the mistake of looking at her. Her heart that had been broken and bruised beyond repair started beating erratically.

Mickey reached out a hand.

Marcy stared at it before looking in green eyes like her own. She took Mickey's hand.

Mickey smiled and pulled her to the couch. She crawled up next to her twin and patted the space next to her.

Marcy sat down, still staring.

Mickey rubbed her little legs in excitement and trepidation. "Hi, Mommy. I'm Mickey and this is Mally. Daddies always said you were really pretty."

Marcy didn't even hear her; she was studying all the similarities and differences between them.

"Daddy Mal said I looked just like you. I do." Mickey smiled brightly.

Marcy lifted her hand and slowly reached out to brush Mickey's wild curls from her chubby tan face.

Mickey closed her eyes and leaned into the caress.

Marcy cupped her cheek, sweeping her thumb over the swell. She said one word in Italian.

"What does that mean?" Mickey opened her eyes.

Marcy shook her head and withdrew her hand. "It doesn't matter." She cleared her throat. "So you seem pretty bright. How's your grades? First grade, right?"

Mickey grew really excited. "Sit! Sit! I gotta go get my report card!"

Mal sat next to Marcy but made sure not to touch her. Both were very aware of the other but ignored it like people ignore climate change.

Mickey soon returned as her adoptive fathers made sure everyone had refreshments. "I got it!"

**_OF_**

"It's bedtime." Greg said.

Mickey whined. "No!"

"Yes. Maybe Mommy would like to tuck you in?"

Marcy raised a brow.

Mickey turned to her, excited. "Yeah! Please, Mommy?!"

"Fine. But I better get something out of this."

Mickey, Greg and Josh looked at her in surprise.

"She's not joking." Mal was deeply amused.

"I could bake you a cake?" Josh was so confused.

"I don't eat cake." Marcy looked at him askance.

"You don't eat cake?" Mally spoke up.

"I don't eat any sweets."

Mally was heartbroken. "Why?!"

Marcy opened her mouth before closing it. She looked at Mal.

"Our dad's a dentist." Mal explained. "He didn't like us having sugar."

Mally frowned.

"No birthday cake?" Mickey pouted.

"No, sweetie." Mal shook his head.

"What did you put candles in?"

"Pizza."

"Pizza?!" Both twins echoed.

"Yup. Deep dish pizza."

"I want that!"

Mal and Marcy smiled.

Greg clapped his hands. "Alright, come on. Let's show Mommy how organized we are."

Mally snorted.

"Up, mister!"

Mally stomped up the stairs.

"It is his bedtime." Greg smiled nervously.

"Or he needs to be beat down." Marcy stated in no uncertain terms.

Josh gasped and covered Mickey's ears. "You believe in spankings?!"

"I believe in _sparing the rod, spoils the child_."

"We don't really believe in that." Greg sulked.

"He doesn't respect you."

"Yes, he does!"

"I've been here for literally half a day and I can see it. He thinks he can get away with anything because you use soft voices and please."

"We don't want our kids to fear us."

"Fear is necessary in life. It keeps you from doing stupid stuff."

"She's right." Mal put in. "Our parents would have killed us if we stomped upstairs."

"Didn't you get pregnant at a young age?" Josh put gently.

"Our parents were strict but that's not why I was having sex." Marcy raised a brow. "Some things are going to happen, no matter how good a parent you are but not respecting you is all on you."

"What do you recommend?" Greg threw his hands up. "Beating him into the ground?"

"You find out what he's most afraid of and use it to strike terror in his heart."

Greg and Josh looked at her in horror before looking at each other in fear. They looked back at her. "Who are you?!"

"Powerful."

Mal nodded. "Undefeated."

"What worked with you?" Greg pressed.

Marcy's mouth twisted.

Mal laughed. "Italian guilt!"

"What?!" Josh was confused.

"All Momma Rose had to say was that Marcy was breaking her heart and Marcy would act right."

"I understand." Greg's lips turned down. His own mother had been prone to dramatics.

Josh looked between them. "So we should tell Mally he's breaking our hearts?"

"If that's what he's most scared of." Marcy blinked slowly, irritated to be thinking of her mother.

"I don't know." Josh was apprehensive. "I don't think I could do that."

Greg took a breath. "Could you do it?"

Mal laughed. "If anyone could suss out a person's fears and use it against them, it's Marce."

"Shut up!" Marcy barked.

"Demon!"

"You like it!"

Mal stopped, the familiar argument making him think of years past.

Marcy realized what she said and stood up. "He's probably upstairs destroying things."

"Are you really going to scare Mally?" Mickey asked, letting them all know that Josh's hands over her ears were useless.

Josh dropped his hands. "We just want your brother better behaved. It won't scar him." _We hope_.

Mickey slid off the couch and took Marcy's hand. "Mally sometimes scares me. He's so mean!"

"He got it honestly!" Mal yelled.

Marcy turned as they were walking to the staircase to stare at him.

He stared back.

She lifted her nose and went up the stairs.

Josh sighed. "I'll go do bedtime. You two relax."

"Uh oh." Mal said as he left. "What's going on?"

"Why would you think something was going on?" Greg cleaned up their mess from dinner.

"Because you want me to relax. No one cares if you're relaxed unless they're about to deliver bad news and don't want you to flip over a table."

"Would you flip over a table?" Greg looked at him in shock.

Mal thought about it. "Depends on how bad the news is."

"Did you flip over a table when she told you she was pregnant?"

"She was more angry with me than I was with her."

"Why?"

Mal looked away. "I had a girlfriend."

Greg dropped a plate back onto the table. "Really?!"

Mal felt uncomfortable. "Yes."

Greg stared at him in hurt. "Is that why you gave us the twins?"

"She said no but I think it was. She was that angry with me. She wanted to punish me."

Greg frowned. Marcy didn't seem that petty to him. "Are you sure?"

"I'm not sure of anything when it comes to that woman."

Greg's lips twisted. "Would you help me?"

"Are you going to tell me what you're hiding?"

"We'll tell you both together."

Mal nodded and got up to help.

**_OF_**

Mickey climbed in the bed, fresh from her bath. "Will you be here when we wake up?"

"Probably not." Marcy put the covers around the five year old.

"Will we ever see you again?" Mickey's peridot eyes filled with tears.

"I don't know."

Mickey started crying.

Marcy kissed her temple then began singing a Swedish lullaby.

Mickey's tears slowed. "What's that?"

"A song my mom used to sing us at naptime. I sung it for you two when you were in my tum-tum."

"It's so pretty."

Marcy nodded and began singing again, stroking Mickey's hair from her face.

Mickey's eyes slid closed and soon she was snoring.

Mally felt jealous. No one was singing to him. He was always the odd man out, both his parents and his little sister were goody-goodies. He knew he was different and it killed him that he felt so misunderstood.

Marcy got up and went to his bed, stroking his hair out of his eyes and singing.

He was totally surprised. She was singing to him? Even though he'd been bad all night?

She kissed his forehead and adjusted the covers around him, singing the same song she'd sung Mickey.

A bit of the ball of anger and hurt in his chest unfurled. He blinked his wide brown eyes and felt them closing. Soon he was asleep, sleep-singing just like his biological father.

Marcy stood up and turned out the lights as Josh turned on a night-light. He closed the door and led her downstairs. "Wow. You're really good at that."

Marcy lifted a shoulder that he couldn't see.

"This makes me feel better."

"Why?"

Josh stayed silent until he got to the living room, where Greg and Mal were watching the news on television. "Okay, Greg. It's time."

Greg turned off the TV and made space for his husband on the love-seat. "Yes, it is."

"Why do I feel like I'm about to be audited?" Marcy sat on the couch.

"We have something to tell you that no one knows." Josh gripped Greg's hand.

"You're not really gay and you're doing it for tax reasons?"

Greg broke out into a smile before his face crumbled and he started bawling.

Josh hugged him. "It's okay, hun."

"I just- I just wish things were different and we could share them. Life would be perfect."

"Are you okay?" Mal hated when people cried. He felt their pain as if it were his own. "Is there anything we could do?"

Josh firmed his spine and just said it. "We're dying."

"Everyone's dying." Marcy said.

"What?"

"From the time you draw your first breath, it's a countdown until your last."

Josh didn't expect that. "Well we know what we're dying from."

"Never know. You could get hit by a bus tomorrow."

"That'd be lovely." Greg sniffled.

Marcy got up and went to his side to rub his back. "What's killing you slowly?"

Greg patted her right hand. "You might not be able to handle it. I know I couldn't when I first heard the news. I cried and cried."

"We can handle whatever you say." Mal told him.

"We have… HIV." Josh finally said it aloud.

"So?" Marcy led when that was all he said.

"I tell you we have a blood disease and all you can say is so?!"

"I doubt you got it from drugs or indiscriminate sex so you must have had a bad blood transfusion that bit you in the ass. You're still good parents."

"You don't understand." Greg shook his head. "I did have a bad blood transfusion years ago but then the doctors called a few years ago to tell me that there was a mixup with the blood and that I might have it.

I got tested and it came back positive. I didn't know it and I unknowingly gave it to my love. I hate that I ruined his life."

"Why would your life be ruined?" Mal asked. "Don't they have medicine for you to take?"

"We'd been undiagnosed for years. It's advanced and pretty progressed."

"So they know definitely that this is going to kill you?" Marcy asked.

"Yes." Greg nodded.

"Aren't we living in 2016?!"

Josh laughed. "What does that mean?"

"Magic Johnson had AIDS and he's living like nothing's wrong. There's got to be something out there that's going to save you."

"We've tried everything but there's too many experimental drugs that have no clear success rate. The costs have gotten to us. We simply cannot afford anything else."

"I'm broke." Marcy hated that.

"I'm not." Mal spoke up. "I can help you."

"No." Greg shook his head. "We cannot accept money from you."

"Why not?"

"Are you crazy?!" Marcy glared at him.

"I got myself into this mess and I'll get myself out." Greg was stubborn.

"You're willing to die over your pride?"

"If it comes to that."

"What about your husband? What about your kids? They need you."

"About that." Josh cleared his throat. "We've written out wills."

"That's good. _Always plan for the worst._"

"_But hope for the best_." Mal snuck in.

Josh smiled. "We don't have any family. Greg's disowned him when he came out and mine died early."

"I'm sorry." Mal and Marcy murmured.

"Thank you. We have friends but either they have their own kids or they wouldn't want to take care of kids."

"So where are the twins going?" Mal pressed.

Greg and Josh looked at him and Marcy pointedly.

"Oh no!" Marcy stood up and waved her hands empathically as she shook her head.

"You have to." Josh needled. "There's no one else we trust our children to. You're their parents."

"Are you sure?" Mal wanted them so badly but didn't want the Davidsons to die to make it happen. "I could pay for new treatments."

"Don't you want them?"

"Not if you have to die to make it happen."

"The reality is that we have a few weeks at best." Greg hated talking about it. "We're getting sicker and sicker. I already had to quit my job and the twins are starting to notice. We've said that we have the flu but I don't know how much longer they're going to believe that."

"I can't believe this." Marcy paced. "You were such good people. Why do you have to be dying?!"

"We've been through the whys. It doesn't do anything but drive you crazy."

She resumed stroking his back. "I think I should go."

"Marcy,-!" Greg and Josh started.

"To the hotel. We're all a little high in the step and things'll look calmer in the morning."

"I didn't make any reservations." Greg admitted. "I was hoping you'd stay with us."

"Oh no. That's not going to happen."

"She can stay with me." Mal offered.

Marcy looked at him before looking away. "You promised a hotel room."

"I know. But I was hoping you'd change your mind." Greg pouted. "I am dying."

"Don't pull that with me!"

"You can stay with me." Mal repeated.

"That'll work. You'll be close and you can talk over the situation." Josh took it.

Marcy thought it over but honestly she was so exhausted. She just wanted to sleep. "Fine. One night only. Tomorrow I'm getting that hotel room. Got it?"

"Absolutely." Greg nodded.

Marcy knew he was lying but figured she could fight after she'd had some shut eye.

"I'll get your bags from my car."

Josh bid them a goodnight and told Greg he'd see him upstairs then the trio left.

Mal collected Marcy's two bags then they told Greg goodnight. He went back inside as they went up the street to Mal's car.

Well… sort of.

Marcy stopped cold. "This is my car!"

Mal unlocked the trunk and put the bags inside. "Technically-"

"Technically my ass! This is my fucking car! Why do you have my car?!"

He opened the passenger door for her. "You left him."

"I left underwear, too! Are you wearing those?!"

"You're really mad that I have Travis and would rather he sat in a garage forever or until Pop sold him?"

She puffed up in anger but kept her mouth shut. She climbed inside and buckled her seatbelt.

He grinned and shut the door. Of course she was pissed he had her car. She cared more about that heap of metal than she did him.

That was a sobering thought as he went around the Lincoln and got inside. He buckled up and started the engine. He turned the radio on low then put the car in drive before pulling off.

She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, hoping he wouldn't talk throughout the ride.

He didn't.

They made it to his apartment and got her things from the trunk before locking up and going inside. Security spoke to him and her politely so they spoke back before going upstairs.

He led her to his apartment and unlocked the door. He let her in first then closed and locked the door behind them. "This is me. It's better in the light."

She blinked at him.

He showed her the kitchen and bathroom before showing her a spare. "You can sleep here." He set her things down.

She looked around. "Thanks."

"Come here." He jerked his head outside of the room. She followed him out and down the hall. He opened a door. "This is my room. In case you get scared."

She blinked in shock as she looked at him. She didn't know why she was surprised. Just because she was different, didn't mean he was. "Thank you."

He watched her eyes move and shift like billowing curtains to a window. He read her gratitude in her eyes and felt his heart thump. "Anytime."

Even though she hadn't done it in five years, she smiled at him. It was small but it reflected in her grass eyes.

Even in the dark he could see her walls coming down and he did the only thing he could do, been wanting to do since he clapped eyes on her at the Davidsons' house and technically since they met as two year olds. He pushed her against the doorframe and kissed her.

She didn't expect that but she kissed him back because… well, it was Mal. Was she supposed to not kiss him?

He kissed her deeply and pressed into her. She wiggled against him. He groaned, hardening to a point.

She tore her mouth away from his, needing to breathe. He just kissed all over her face and neck. She began whining, needing more than butterfly kisses above the shoulders.

He reached down and picked her up by her knees and made her cross her legs around his waist. He put her arms around his neck and stared at her. "Yes?"

"Hell yes." She squeezed him.

He took her to his bed and tumbled into it, diving headfirst into bliss.


	5. Chapter Five

**_Surprise!_**

**_Enjoy and review!_**

**_NJPNJPNJP_**

Mal awoke when he reached out in his dream and felt nothing. His dream broke and he woke up, actively searching the bed. He lifted his head from a pillow and saw the bed was empty.

Dread settled into his heart and he scrambled to his feet. He tugged on the jeans from the night before and went to the bathrooms to check. No one there.

He went to the room he gave her and nothing was there, her bags gone. He checked the other spare just in case but there was no sign of life.

He checked the whole apartment and just like before, there wasn't even a note. He went back to his room and sat on the bed, putting his head in his hands and tried not to cry.

What did he expect? For her to realize exactly how much he loved her and for her to suddenly declare how much she loved him and they'd live happily ever after with their kids?

He had to let that dream die. She didn't want him. This proved it.

"What are you doing?"

Mal sat up. Marcy was standing in the doorway, looking at him like he was the crazy one. "Where were you?!"

"You look like you've lost your spirit or something."

"Where. were you?!"

"Out." She made a face.

He stood up and went to her. "Where were you? Where did you go?"

She huffed and rolled her eyes. "I don't know. I just went for a walk."

"A walk?"

"Yes. I do that on occasion."

He narrowed his eyes before crushing his lips to hers.

When he let her breathe, she raised a brow. "What the fuck is wrong with you? You act like I disappeared- oh crap."

"You do not go anywhere without me." He made a rule.

"You're insane." She stared at him in horror.

"You do not go anywhere without me." He repeated.

"What if I have to use the bathroom?"

"I will stand outside it."

"Mal!"

He would not bend.

"You can't do that!"

He just looked at her.

She scoffed and turned to leave.

"Where are you going?!" He thundered.

"To get water, warden! Is that allowed?!" She tossed over her shoulder.

He followed behind.

She sighed heavily and continued to the kitchen, where she searched for a glass (he didn't help and she'd be damned if she asked) then filled it with tap water.

He stood by the island, watching her. When she finished, he took the glass from her and set it in the sink then took her hand to lead her back to his bedroom.

He set them on his bed. "Where's your bags?"

"What?!"

"Where. are. your. bags?"

"They're under the bed." She frowned.

"Which bed?"

"The one you showed me last night. Or is that against the rules? Speaking of which, how many more do you have?"

"Why are they under the bed?"

"Who are you? Really? Because you have to be an alien wearing Mal's face."

"Why are they under the bed?" He repeated patiently.

She smacked her lips and threw up her hands, including the one caught in his. "I was cleaning after my shower!"

"You took a shower?" He blinked in surprise.

"Was I supposed to go outside smelling like you?"

He didn't know how to take that so he asked something else. "Did you put your clothes and things away?"

"No." Her patience was running low. "I just changed and stuffed the bags under the bed."

"Why didn't you put your things away?"

"Why would I?" She gave him an ugly look.

"Because you're going to be here."

"For?" She led when he stopped.

"For?" He cocked his head.

"Usually people say how long someone is staying. Which I'm not."

"_For_ ever."

She leaned back. This was the side to Mal that freaked her out, his clinginess. "I'm not staying at all let alone forever. We're going to find somewhere for the twins to go and then I'm leaving again."

"We're getting our kids back then everything will be fine."

"What planet is your brain on? We had been through this before they were even born! Nothing has changed!"

"I don't care. Nothing's going to stop me from being with my kids. Not again."

"How could you?" She narrowed her eyes, actually heartbroken by his vow. "Don't you care about them?"

"Me?!" He stammered. "_I _wanted them! I fought to keep them! I thought about them every day for five years! I stayed!"

"That's what this is about!" She stood up and snatched her hand back. "You're mad that I left and you didn't! There was no reason for me to stay so I did what I wanted and went somewhere else! It's not my fault you stayed behind like some agreeable pup!"

"Agreeable pup?!" He stood up, towering over her.

She stepped up to him. "Grow a pair! You never do anything without someone holding your hand!"

He snatched her up by her arms and shook her. "How dare you say I don't care about our children when _you_ gave them away like garbage?!"

"I gave them away so they'd have a better future! I was thinking about them but you can't see that because you're only thinking of yourself! You want them so damn how their lives turn out!"

"We would have been great parents!" He shook her again.

"We would _suck _at being parents! This is about them and what's best for them and it's not us! It will never be us! We don't deserve them!"

Every word pierced his heart and made him want to break down because he knew she believed that in her soul but his soul was telling him she was wrong. They would have been amazing parents and now had the chance to prove it.

He set her on her feet. She watched him warily as he slowly cupped her cheeks and leaned in. He kissed her gently.

She waited but all he did was kiss her as if she were fragile. She did _not _know what to do. She had pent up emotions roaring through her and now he was treating her as if she were an experience he wanted to savor.

He backed away and she opened her eyes. He read what he wanted in her eyes then pulled her to the bed. They both sat down and he laid her back, stretching out beside her.

She watched him, waiting for what he'd do but he just propped his head up on his fist and played with her stomach.

"Your hair's shorter."

She blinked, not prepared for that. "I cut it. Every year."

He pulled on a breast level lock. "It's curly."

"I don't have a straightener."

"You know I've always loved your curls."

"I know." She whispered.

He pulled on another coil. It sprung back to her chest. "Did you wash it in your shower?"

"It got wet but I didn't wash it."

"And you went outside?"

"It's California."

"What time did you leave?"

"One something."

"You've been gone since one this morning?!"

"Yes."

"It's almost six!"

"I can tell time."

"No, you can't."

"Nobody'll tell me which hand is which!"

"I'll teach you. Maybe the twins can teach you?"

"They're five; they don't know."

"Kids are smart these days. Besides, we're smart. They got our genes."

Her eyes filled with tears. "I hope not."

He kissed her, especially hating to see her cry. He rolled over on her and parted her legs. He unfastened her jeans and helped her wriggle out of them and her underwear.

She kissed him back passionately as she moved against him. She didn't want to feel hurt anymore. She didn't want to feel pain. Mal could make her feel better. He always could. Just him.

He brought them together and both felt it in their core. Green clashed with brown as they stared in each other's eyes as they moved together in sync.

Old hurts were mending slowly if only for a little while.

**_OF_**

"Are you hungry?" Mal asked.

Marcy inhaled deeply. "A little."

"I could cook for you." He drew his right index finger over her breasts in slow loops.

"What are you going to over-season?"

He smirked. "It's not my fault your tastebuds are so precise that they pick up even the most minuscule of spices."

"I've missed Mikey."

He tapped her left nipple. "He actually left after you did. Disappeared the day of graduation."

"What?" Her face crumpled in confusion.

"He's gone, too. We don't know where he is. It really broke Dad."

"He's in Canada."

"What?" His eyes widened. "How do you know that?"

"He's in a dance trope. They go all over the world performing shows but they're based in Canada. I can't believe he ran away. Why?"

"How long have you known about this?"

"2, 3 years."

"How do you know this?"

"Why did he leave?"

He frowned. "I don't know. He didn't talk to me. He and Dad were fighting a lot about his future and he just split."

"I saw a flyer for a show. I saw his face so I went. I talked to one of the dancers afterwards and asked her about the production. I saw him. I saw him but he didn't see me. He was laughing."

"He was laughing?" That hurt him. Mike was doing fine without them.

"It could have been a really funny joke." She offered.

"I gotta tell Mom."

"I don't know, Mal. He wants to live in peace."

"Like you?" He sat up in the bed. "You're where he got the idea."

"So it's my fault he left?" She sat up, too. "Maybe if you weren't so heavy-handed, he'd still be there!"

"Me?!"

"You and everyone like you!" She threw the covers back and got to her feet.

"Don't walk away from me!"

She grabbed a shirt and put it on, flipping her hair out from the inside. "Bite me!"

He got out of the bed as she strolled out and pulled on his jeans, following her. He caught up to her as she walked down the hall. "You think you're the most important person in the galaxy!"

"Me?!" Her brows crashed together.

"Yeah! _You_!"

"You're the one who acts like his word is law! You're just like every man on this planet that thinks that just because you have a swinging pendulum between your legs that you're untouchable!" She stabbed him in the chest with her index finger. "You're not!"

"I don't think I'm untouchable! How dare-?! How dare you?! You walk around like you're the queen of everything and people should bow down to you and we usually do because we're scared of you!"

"What did you just say?" She dared him to repeat it.

"I said it! You're scary!" He yelled in her face. "You're just evil incarnate! You have no feelings! All you know is destruction and chaos!"

"I hate you." She walked around him.

He deflated, having seen the hurt in her eyes. He dropped his head before turning around. "Marcy,-"

The doorbell rang.

"You should get that." She whipped around, mask firmly in place.

"I don't care who's behind that door." He spoke the truth.

"You obviously don't care about me. Answer it."

"Marcy,-" He tried to apologize.

"Answer it!"

He stalked off to the door and unlocked it before swinging it open. "What?!" He realized who was on the other side and slammed the door shut.

The doorbell rang again as a decidedly feminine voice called out, "Mal?! Mal, what's going on?! Mal?!"

He looked behind him and saw Marcy looking at him with a raised brow. "I can explain!"

She walked forward, staring him in the face and opened the door. A tall, thin woman was still trying to knock on the other side. She looked back at Mal.

"Who are you?" The woman asked, caught off guard.

Marcy turned and went back to Mal's bedroom.

"Who is she?" The British woman demanded.

Mal couldn't believe this was happening to him. "My sister."

"Then why are you both half naked and you look nothing alike and you slammed the door in my face and she doesn't look happy?" She folded her arms.

"She's never happy, I didn't expect to see you and my hand slipped, I don't look like two thirds of my family and we both sleep like this. We just got up." Most of that was true so he had no problem half-lying.

She eyed him dubiously.

"It's the truth."

She melted but leaned forward to smell him. "You don't smell like perfume."

He refrained from telling her Marcy didn't wear perfume. "I shouldn't."

She decided to believe him- for now. "Well I wanted to tell you that I returned from home."

"Welcome back."

"Aren't you going to let me in?"

"Actually right now's not a good time. We weren't agreeing when you rang."

Her mouth fell open. "Oh no! Perhaps I should talk to her?"

"No!" Mal didn't want her hurt. "I have to apologize for what I said."

"You hurt her?" She blinked in surprise. "But you're so nice?"

"Not always."

She leaned up to kiss him. "Well you deal with your family and I'll come back later tonight. You can introduce us seeing as I haven't met _any_ of your family and then we can have some fun. I've missed you."

He just stared at her trying to be sexy. He hadn't thought about her once since she left. "Me too."

She grinned before calling out, "See you tonight, Mal's sister!" She left, walking down the hall, switching pointedly.

He sighed as he closed the door and turned around. Then stopped cold when he saw Marcy marching toward him completely dressed with her bags. "Wait!"

"What's her name?" She stopped in front of him.

"Marcy,-"

"That's really fucked up. You're just out here, collecting Marcelines?"

He sighed heavily. "Her name is Cynthia."

"Cynthia?!" She made a face before pulling herself together. "How long have you been together?"

"On and off for a year."

"Wow. That's some staying power. Why doesn't she have a key then? Since you're the perfect couple?"

"Why do you gotta do this?! Why can't we just talk?!"

"What are we supposed to talk about? Huh? About how you haven't changed? About how you are still all about your cake and eating it, too? Gah, you're a trip!"

"I haven't changed?! I trust no one now! The reason we've been off and on for _OVER_ a year is because every time she wants to do anything more than spend a solitary night here, I wig out!"

"That's _your _problem. Don't put that on me."

"It's because of you! I gave you all of me-!"

"Bullshit!" She refused to let him say that. "I trusted you and you gave me scraps! Whatever you had left over from your precious Ellen!"

He swallowed hard. "I did not-"

"You can lie to yourself but you can't lie to me. I know you. I was never important to you. I was available."

"Is that what you think?" He was actually hurt by the accusation.

"I'm not doing this anymore." She was dead serious. "I'll walk to the Davidsons."

"No, you're not." He meant the vow he made at six that morning.

"You're going to stop me?"

"I will. I will pick you up and drag you back to that bedroom. I don't care what you do, you're not going anywhere without me."

"Oh yeah? Gonna be real hard to have fun with your girlfriend and your sister. Unless you wanna make this a threesome. But I think she might have standards and be turned off by doing families."

"I'll figure it out." He hoped to heaven he could. "But you're still not leaving without me."

She glared at him but saw he was serious. "Fine. Shower. Get dressed. Let's see you figure it out." She went to her room and slammed the door.

He ran his hands over his face. It was going to be a long day.

**_OF_**

Josh opened the door. "Hi!"

"Hi." Marcy and Mal were subdued.

"Was everything okay last night?"

"Last night." Marcy walked inside.

Josh caught that something was going on and wisely switched subjects. "The twins are still at school."

"We know. We came to talk to you two about this whole thing."

Josh shut the door. "Okay. Greg, honey?!"

Greg came from the kitchen, where he'd been sampling the snacks Josh had been making for the twins for after-school. "Oh! Hey, guys!"

"We can't do it." Marcy stated straight off.

"Marce?!" Mal snapped his gaze to hers.

She turned her head.

"We're doing this!"

"I'm not doing _anything_ with _you_!"

"Forget Cynthia!"

"You did!"

He couldn't say anything for a full ten seconds. "We're doing this."

"No, we're not. We just have to find an agency that'll work with the parents still alive."

"One of us is trying hard not to be."

"I'm talking about them, dip-shit! _They_ are parents! _We _are trainwrecks!"

Greg cleared his throat.

"Stop acting like there's something wrong with us!" Mal ignored him.

"There's something definitely wrong with you." She still had her back to him.

He got mad and whirled her around but she pushed him away before he could do more than point at her.

"Hey!" Greg jumped in before any blows were traded (although Mal would never hit her and she would try not to leave a mark).

"What?!" Both glared at him.

"We need your help." Josh came forward, completely unnerved by their explosive relationship.

"You need adults." Marcy told him.

"We're not sixteen anymore!" Mal shouted.

"Being adult is more than age, which you've proven over and over that yours must match your shoe size!"

He clenched his fists as he roared. "You get on my nerves! You act like you know everything!"

"I know more than you and that kills you! Men hate being stupid!"

Greg felt hurt. "We're not all stupid."

"You are if you give us your kids."

"Don't you love them?" Josh was totally confused.

"I don't believe in love."

"Nope!" Mal clapped mockingly. "Sure don't! She doesn't even love herself!"

"And I damn sure don't love you!"

He stopped clapping and glared.

Josh deflated. "Our kids are going to an orphanage."

"They'll be fine." Marcy folded her arms. "They could go somewhere new… and…"

"And?" Greg led when she stopped speaking and the color drained from her face.

She swallowed with difficulty and faced him with stricken features. "We'll take them."

"Not that I'm not totally thrilled you changed your mind,-" Josh came closer. "Are you okay?"

She took a shuddering breath. "Yeah. I'm fine. Can I use your bathroom?"

"Sure." Josh knew good and well she wasn't fine.

She hurried to the bathroom and shut the door. She leaned against it and slid down until her bottom touched the floor. She folded her arms and bowed her head as tears raced down her cheeks.

She tried to keep it down but couldn't help but to sob.

Mal listened outside the door, wondering what was going on. He touched the door but didn't turn the knob. Maybe she just needed a minute? He could give her that.

Greg and Josh looked at each other from two feet away. Something was going on. Was it wise to let these broken young people raise their children, regardless if they were their biological family?

**_OF_**

Marcy felt herself droop and immediately snapped awake. She stood up, wondering what time it was. She went to use the toilet and washed her hands and face before opening the door.

Mal was sitting on the floor against the wall facing the door. He instantly got up.

She was touched that he'd stayed but she couldn't afford to be reckless. So she took her gaze from his and went to the living room.

Greg was watching TV loudly. Josh was nowhere to be seen. He turned and turned down the TV. "Hey!"

"Where's Josh?"

"He went to pick up the kids. Carpool takes a while."

"Oh." She sat down slowly, rubbing her legs in agitation.

Mal sat next to Greg. "I think a trip home would be good."

"No."

"Yeah. Everyone misses you."

"No."

"Please? I'll go with you."

"How is that incentive?"

"I haven't been back since I left."

"When'd you leave?"

"The day after graduation."

"Why?"

He said nothing but Greg wanted to know.

Marcy looked up and at him. "You couldn't stay either?"

"No." Mal shook his head.

She bowed her head again.

Greg wondered just what did all that mean but realized it could be the twins. Was that why she left?

The door jiggled then opened. Josh came in with the kids.

"Hi, Mommy!" Mickey ran to Marcy and hugged her, startling the young woman. "Daddy said you didn't feel good so I wanted to hug you acause he and Daddy say our hugs make them feel _so _much better! Do you feel better?!"

Marcy nodded. "I feel so much better."

Greg smiled. "It's snack time, guys! Go get your snacks!"

The twins went into the kitchen, letting the door swing shut behind them.

"How are you feeling?" Josh asked Marcy.

"I don't do that." She cleared her throat. "How are you going to tell them what's going on?"

Josh paled. "Oh no! You should do that!"

"What?!" She hissed so the kids wouldn't overhear. "You can't have us tell them that! They'll hate us and we'll hate you!"

"I can live with that." Greg admitted.

"Dude." Mal gave him a look. "Just tell them."

"How can you say it so caviler?!" Josh waved his arms as he tried not to yell. "How would we even say it?!"

"We're dying and you're going to go live with your original parents." Marcy deadpanned.

Josh gaped at her, Greg not far behind. "They know nothing of death!"

"That's your fault."

Greg blanched. "Who teaches their young about death?!"

"Everywhere but California apparently."

"Who taught you about death?!"

"Our parents." Mal supplied. "Our elders in the family."

Josh could've had a heart-attack. "When?!"

Mal made faces as he tried to think. "About two or three."

"That was when Grandpappy died and we went to our first funeral as aware beings." Marcy remembered.

"My word!" Josh quit.

"Will you at least be there with us? I don't think I can say it." Greg paled.

"It's not hard. Just explain death to them then say that's what going to happen to you." Marcy shrugged.

"How can we explain death to two five year olds?! _I _don't even understand!"

"It's easy. You're only going to sleep and when you wake up, the world will be a paradise."

"What?"

"Death is just sleeping for more than one night. I practiced for it with my coma. You don't have to worry about dreams or nightmares and when you wake up, there will be peace. No pain, no hurt, no war, no hunger, no poverty. Earth will be a paradise."

"What about heaven?"

"What about it?"

"You don't think I'm going to heaven?"

"Most people aren't going to heaven but that's okay. The good people will be on Earth, living out forever in paradise."

"What about the bad people?"

"They'll just never wake up."

"This is what you believe?" Greg could use that.

"Yes."

"What makes you good?"

"I have no idea. God looks into your heart and kidneys. If He says you have goodness in you and you spent your life at least trying to apply His bible principles, there's a very good chance of you waking up."

"What about the gay thing?"

"Everyone sins and if that's your only one, I think you're doing pretty well. I sinned five times before we even got here."

"So you honestly think I have a better chance at- what is it you think is happening?"

"Everlasting life. _John 3:16_."

"I remember that one." Josh said.

"Most people do but they don't remember the whole scripture."

"I think you'll get everlasting life. If you think I can make it, I think you can." Greg smiled.

Marcy shrugged. It didn't matter to her. Living was enough one go round. She didn't want to come back. "You should still tell the twins yourself."

"Tell us what?" Mickey asked as she came through the door with her brother.

"Your mommy wants to tell you something." Greg passed the buck gladly.

"No." Marcy refused to let him. "We all need to talk but your daddies will be doing most of it."

"You are so mean."

Mal chuckled.

Josh swatted Greg. "Do you need something?"

"There's no milk." Mickey pointed toward the door leading into the kitchen.

"Oh right! Um… we'll get you milk later. Come sit down."

The twins sat on the couch with Greg and Josh bracketing them. Mal sat on Greg's side in a chair while Marcy sat on the loveseat on Josh's side.

"Did we do something bad?" Mickey fretted.

"No, sweetie." Josh hugged her. "We just have to tell you something."

"Is it bad?"

"Yes."

"For you." Marcy amended. "It's great for them."

"Marcy!" Mal was astonished.

Greg and Josh looked at each other. Knowing about her suicide attempt and now her views on death, they understood why she thought it was good for them.

Marcy shrugged. "Go on, Josh."

Josh took a deep breath. "Something bad happened to me and Daddy-"

"What happened?" Mally interrupted.

His adoptive fathers looked at each other warily.

"Do you know what a blood disease is?" Marcy asked.

The Davidsons sighed in relief. She'd explain.

Mally and Mickey shook their heads. "No."

"It's when you get sick because of the blood you have in your body. Your daddy Greg was sick and he needed new blood to be put in his body but it was bad blood, poison. Like the apple from Snow White." Marcy explained.

Mickey gasped. "No! Did Daddy kiss him and make him better?!"

"That's not how it works with blood diseases. Unfortunately when your daddies kissed in their grown up way, Daddy Greg gave it to Daddy Josh. Now they're both sick."

Mickey started crying. "I knew something was going on!"

"It's okay, Princess." Mal hated to see her cry.

"Will Daddies get better?"

"Not for a while." Marcy shook her head. "Greg? Josh?"

Josh hated saying this. "Daddy and I are dying."

Mickey blinked. "Like when we play pretend?"

"Mommy can explain dying better than we can."

Marcy gave him a flat look. "Death is simple. It's just going to sleep."

"Going to sleep?" Mickey was okay with that. "When will they wake up?"

"No one knows. But when they do, they'll see so many loved ones and everyone will be happy and you can have every animal imaginable as your pet, even a lion or snake. Nothing will ever hurt you ever again."

"Is that Heaven?"

"No, honey. That'll be Earth. Where we are now? It'll be a paradise. Do you know what a paradise is?"

"No."

"Paradise is a really fun place. You'll always have enough to eat, you'll never be too hot or too cold and you'll always be safe. Everything will be beautiful and everyone will be happy."

"When will this be?" Mally demanded.

"No one on Earth knows. Only God knows. But He promised it'll be soon."

"So you're only going to sleep?" Mickey asked Josh.

Josh nodded. "Yes." He desperately wanted to believe that. "Hopefully when I wake up, I'll see you."

Mickey smiled. "When are you going to sleep?"

"Someday soon. Probably before the month is out."

"It's already almost Halloween." Mal whispered.

"Next month. Before next month is out."

"Okay." Mickey nodded. "I can't wait to see you when you wake up."

"Me either." Josh hugged her.

Mally wasn't quite as sold. "Where are we going to be until you wake up?"

"Would you like to live with us?" Mal asked.

"Really?!" Mickey loved that idea.

Mally pouted. "Really?"

"Yeah. We'd love to have you." Mal said.

"Yay!" Mickey hugged Josh tightly.

"And if your dads say it's alright, you can see where we used to live. Where you were born."

"Ohio?!"

"Nobody's ever said "Ohio" like it was a place someone wanted to be." Marcy smirked.

Mickey was excited. "I wanna go!"

"You're easy, child."

Mickey smiled.

"What about you, namesake?" Mal asked. "Want to go to Ohio?"

"What's that?" Mally frowned.

"What's what?"

"Namesteak."

"Name_sake._ It just means you were named after me."

"Oh." That made Mally sad which in turn made him angry. "That's stupid."

"Mally!" Greg was very disappointed in him.

Mally threw himself back and pouted with crossed arms.

Mal's phone rang. "Excuse me." He went into the kitchen.

Marcy eyed Greg knowingly.

Mal waited for the door to close completely before he answered the cell. "Hey, Mom."

"Honey!" Jeanette sounded out of breath. "Have you seen her?! Have you talked to her?!"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you call me?! I've been waiting all this time! Where is she now?! What's going on?!"

"Mom. Mom, calm down. She's in there with the twins and their dads as we make plans to bring them to Lima."

"Wait! You're bringing the twins to Lima?! With her?!"

He grimaced as she cried. "Yes. We're trying to get this all set up."

"Okay, okay! I'll tell the others. I got in touch with your sisters and they're all excited."

"That's… good. Um… Mom? I know where Mike is."

"What?" Her voice grew softer. "How? Where is he?!"

"He's in Canada."

"How do you know?" She cried anew.

"Marcy knew. He's in a dance trope that travels the world. She saw him."

"He knew where she was and didn't call to tell us? He hates me that much?"

"Mom, he doesn't hate you. I can promise you that. Besides he didn't see her. She made sure he didn't."

"Oh." She sniffled. "I'll let you go."

"I know you're going to try to search for him but I can save you the trouble. Do you want the name to the dance company?"

"Yes, please."

He told her. "I hope he answers."

"Thank you, Mally. My good boy. I love you."

"I love you, too Mom." He hung up and turned around.

Marcy was there, watching him. "How is she?"

Mal wiped his face. "She's excited. She's looking forward to seeing the twins. To seeing you."

"Oh."

"She's going to look up Mike. Thanks for finally telling me the name."

"If I gotta be stuck with you people, _he's _gotta be stuck."

"Yeah." He looked around, uncomfortable.

"Want juice?"

He was surprised by her offer. "Um… yeah. Orange if they got it."

"I know. They do. It's Mally's favorite."

"It is?" Mal's chest erupted in hope. He had something in common with his son.

"Yeah. Mickey likes grape like Mikey."

"I still buy apple."

"You do?"

Her tone made him look at her eyes. They were soft and gazing back into his. His heart kickstarted and beat unevenly. "Yeah. I do."

She smiled. "Greg's the one who likes apple in this family. Josh likes that nasty cranapple. You know he's regular."

Mal laughed lowly. "He should be good and clean on the inside."

She went to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of apple and one of orange. She handed him the orange. "So we're doing this?"

"Thank you for changing your mind. We can do this."

Marcy had her doubts but this wasn't about her. She had to protect her babies from the world.

**_OF_**

"We have to go." Mal said after wrestling with speaking for a moment.

"Aww!" Mickey whined. "Why?!"

"We have a friend coming over."

Mickey thought it over. "Can we meet him?"

"It's a woman but you will one day."

"Is she Mommy's best friend?"

Marcy lifted a brow as she looked at Mal.

He gulped. "Not yet but they will be one day."

Marcy wondered how he got that lie out. "We can see you tomorrow if you want."

"Yay!" Mickey cheered.

"Maybe Mommy and Daddy can take you out to dinner?" Josh suggested.

"Do you eat out a lot?" Marcy asked.

"Yes!" Mally frowned at his dads.

"These gays can't cook well." Greg admitted. "We've been trying new recipes from _Tasty_ but it's a little hard since we want them to eat organically and as clean as possible. We have a restaurant around the corner that does it perfectly."

"I'll cook." Marcy smirked. She couldn't fault them for not knowing how to cook when she plain hated the task herself.

"_You're _going to cook?" Mal was slack-jawed.

"Is she as bad a cook as Greg?" Josh wondered. Greg pouted.

Mal made a face. "Bad? She's a great cook. She just won't."

"You have the talent to cook and you won't do it?!" Josh swatted her.

"Cooking sucks." She shrugged.

"But you're willing to do it for our little monsters?" Greg was touched.

"Please tell me you don't have our children listening to Lady Gaga."

"She's every gay man's dream!"

"So's Streisand but you don't have to play her music."

"You take that back!" Josh gasped with a point.

"Lady Gaga is overrated and there isn't a song she's sang that I like from Babs."

Josh felt faint. "What music do you like?"

"I like all music, except most heavy metal and scream-o. I'm not that into techno either. Some is okay but I'd rather hear a person sing."

"Hmm." Greg was impressed. "Who are some of your favorite artists?"

"We don't have that kinda time."

"We really have to go." Mal wanted to talk to Marcy before Cynthia showed up.

Mally was mad. Were their friends more important than him and his sister? When Mickey stood up to give them hugs, Mally sat on the couch with his arms crossed.

Mal put his big hand on the little boy's head and shook it. "We'll see you tomorrow. Alright?"

Mally looked away.

Mal sighed and left him alone.

Marcy waved to him. "Bye."

Mally ignored her.

The two left.

Josh sighed. Mally was acting worse. He exchanged a look with Greg. When were they going to get their little boy back?


	6. Chapter Six

Mal shut the door behind himself and locked it. He'd been thinking the whole journey home but still didn't know what to say.

He looked up and noticed Marcy was going to the kitchen. So he followed her. She searched for apple juice and got a glass with ice.

He just watched her as she picked up the big glass and drank out of it. He leaned against the island counter. "Good?"

She made a few faces. "It's alright. It's not strong."

He smiled. She'd always preferred strong drinks. "We have to talk."

"Do we?"

"Yes. Cynthia is nice."

"Of course she is."

"I'm serious. She doesn't deserve this."

She looked at him. _But I do?_ was plain on her face.

He looked away for a moment. "I just need time. To figure this out."

"I've got all the time in the world."

He didn't quite understand but she was already walking away. Damn! He'd blown this talk.

**_OF_**

Mal opened the door with a wide fake smile. "Cynthia!"

"Hi, Mal!" Cynthia Pointer was a nice girl. She was nice in public and in private. She was honest about her shortcomings and tried to see things from other people's perspective. She was nice.

But Mal couldn't care less. He was only with her because she'd caught him alone. "Come in."

"Thank you." She came inside.

He shut and locked the door. "So…? How was your visit back to England?"

"It was great. My mum made all my favorites and Dad was excited to tell me about the team."

"That's good."

"So where is she?" Cynthia was excited.

"Who?"

"Your sister!" She slapped his chest. "Where is she?"

"In her room." His face flamed.

"Well go get her! I cannot wait to bond. By the by, what's her name?"

"Marcy." He looked between her and the hall leading to the bedrooms.

"Marcy. Another "M". Lovely!" She got a kick out of that. "Go collect Marcy. Then we can order food and crack up this bottle of wine."

He took it from her. "I'll be back. Turn on the TV if you want."

She nodded as she let him take her jacket and hang it up before moving further into the living room and sitting on the couch.

Mal went down the hall and knocked on Marcy's door. She answered. "Why are you knocking in your own house?"

"Don't do that." He didn't want to fight. "Can you please come out here and meet her? She's really nice and look! She brought wine!"

Marcy rolled her eyes. "Wine is supposed to make me want to see your girlfriend?"

"Please? I know it's a lot-"

"Do you?" She cocked her head with a frown.

"Yes?" Was that the correct answer?

She made a face as she nodded. "Bet."

He felt like he'd lost. "So you'll come out?"

"Yeah, whatever." She shut the door in his face.

He debated knocking again and asking her when but decided against it and just waited.

Not even a minute later she opened the door again, surprised to see him.

"Ready?"

It took her a moment to gather her wits. "Uh… yeah."

He stepped back and gestured for her to go ahead of him.

She stepped out and closed the door behind herself before journeying down the hall. She prepared herself to meet this Cynthia.

Mal noticed her preparing herself and felt bad. He knew she didn't like meeting new people but until he figured things out, he needed everyone to get along.

Cynthia noticed them coming in and bounced up with a bright smile. She outstretched her hand. "Hello! I'm Cynthia Pointer."

Marcy stared at her hand blankly.

"No, Cynthia." Mal shook his head gently. "Marcy doesn't touch people."

Cynthia withdrew her hand. "I'm sorry."

"No problem." Marcy did like that she didn't try to make her touch her like some people have done in the past. "So let's sit."

Cynthia brightened considerably and sat back down.

Marcy sat in a chair.

Mal went to open the wine and pour everyone a glass, filling Marcy's up with vodka as well.

"So…" Cynthia clapped her hands together once. "I guess I would like to know how Mal is as a brother?"

"Like any other brother, I assume." Marcy responded.

"Is he your older or younger brother?" Cynthia accepted her wineglass when Mal brought it in. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Mal murmured.

"Younger." Marcy stared Mal in the eyes when he gave her the fuller glass.

He flushed with a smile. "You're welcome."

Cynthia wondered why he'd said that when Marcy didn't say thank you but figured it was a sibling thing. She didn't have any. "You look so young. Where are you guys from?"

"Around." Marcy answered.

"No, I meant where did you grow up since leaving China?"

"China?"

"That's how we met. At a Chinese restaurant. He and the staff were talking. I guessed that he was Chinese and he smiled and said I was right."

Marcy looked at Mal, who drank his wine quickly. "Okay…"

"So where did you grow up?"

"Around."

Cynthia didn't expect that but it struck her as funny so she giggled. "You're funny."

"I'm a comedienne."

"Really?"

"Sure. I love telling jokes and being silly." Marcy deadpanned as Mal choked on his last little bit of wine.

Cynthia clapped. "Tell a joke!"

"I've got one. What do you get when you cross a fly, a car and a dog?"

Cynthia shrugged excitedly. "I don't know. What?"

"A flying carpet."

Cynthia didn't get it at first. When she did, she laughed loudly. "That is so clever!"

"It happens every so often."

Mal side-eyed Marcy. "We should order food."

"Who wants Indian?" Cynthia asked. "I've been trying to get Mal to dine at this fabulous little place up the hill but he won't do it."

"We don't like Indian food." Marcy told her.

"Oh! Really? Why didn't you just tell me that, Mal?"

Mal lifted an uncomfortable shoulder. "I didn't want you to-" _Know me_. "Be mad."

"I would never be cross with you over a meal."

"Thanks. I think our best chance is ordering Chinese. Where do you want to order from?"

"I like the Golden Gate."

"Okay." Mal went to get the menu. He returned with it and his phone. "What do you want?"

"I want egg drop soup and small vegetable fried rice."

"Marce?"

Marcy perused the paper. "Crab Rangoon, small BBQ spare ribs and large house special fried rice."

He licked his lips. Ribs sounded good. "I'll get a large ribs and we can share."

Marcy shrugged.

Mal dialed the number and gave them his information before handing the phone to Marcy. "I gotta pee. You already know what I want." He sped out.

Marcy put the phone to her ear and began ordering in Chinese. She ordered Cynthia's two items before ordering her own three then ordered a large orange chicken and a large house special lo mein. She saw they had sugar biscuits on their menu and ordered that along with extra duck sauce.

The girl on the other end said it's be half an hour.

Marcy said okay then hung up. Cynthia was staring at her. "What?"

"Your Chinese is amazing!"

"Thank you." Marcy didn't know how to take that really so that was all she said.

"Is Chinese your first language?"

"No."

"Oh. So English was?"

"No."

Cynthia was terribly confused. "What was your first language?"

Mal returned, a lot more relaxed. "Thanks. I had to go."

"Mal, what was your first language?"

"Huh?"

"Marcy said Chinese wasn't her first language and neither was English."

"Oh." Mal blinked before looking at Marcy. "How long until they get here?"

"A little less than half an hour." Marcy wanted him to answer Cynthia.

Mal could see it in her eyes. "Cool."

"Mal." Cynthia drew his attention. "What was your first language?"

"Chinese." He'd been gearing up to tell this lie.

"But she said-"

"She said _her _first language. _My _first language was Chinese."

Cynthia narrowed her eyes. "Hmm."

"Did you order sweet biscuits?" Mal turned to Marcy.

Who nodded slowly. "Yep."

"Good. They make them really well here."

"Do you have any aspirin?"

He frowned at the randomness of the request. "Uh… yeah. It's in my bathroom, behind the mirror."

"Thanks." She got up and went to his room. She went inside his bathroom and turned on the light before going to the medicine cabinet. She opened it and saw plenty of drugs.

She opened a few bottles and shook out a pill before putting them in her mouth. She did take one aspirin though.

She closed the bottles and put them back before closing the cabinet and turning off the lights.

She left and went back to the living room to her glass of wine and took a deep drink. She swallowed the pills, noticing that it also contained vodka, her second favorite spirit.

"Feeling better?" Mal thought she had only needed a minute and not actual aspirin.

"I will."

That was cryptic but he let it go. "Who wants to watch TV?"

Cynthia brightened. "_Being Human_?!"

"That's a good show." Marcy leaned back in her chair. "It's a shame they cancelled it. The werewolf was so hot."

"The British one?" Cynthia hoped as Mal scowled.

"Of course. The American one is alright but British all the way."

Cynthia squealed in happiness, confident she'd just found a friend.

**_OF_**

"You're nice, Cynthia." Marcy said out of the blue.

Cynthia blinked before smiling widely. "Thank you! You are, too!"

Marcy smirked. _Nope! _"Mal deserves a girl like you."

"Aww!"

Mal lowered his wineglass to look at Marcy.

She refused to look at him. "He hasn't had much luck in the girlfriend department."

"Oh no!" Cynthia mewled.

"You should have seen him in high school."

"You're not funny!" Mal snapped.

"Neither was your lovelife."

"Aww!" Cynthia smiled. "I wasn't the best looking in high school so no one wanted to be with me. I had very few friends. Until I blossomed. Overnight, I looked like this. I went a little crazy dating and then I moved here for my modeling career."

"You're a model?" Marcy mocked, finally looking at a scowling Mal. "What a coincidence! So was Mal!"

Cynthia's jaw dropped. "You were a model?!"

"A really long time ago." Mal shook his head, two patches of red on his cheeks.

"We have something in common! Whew! I was beginning to think we had nothing!"

"I'm sure you have a lot in common." Marcy cocked her head. "Food's here."

Mal got up.

Cynthia frowned. "How do you know-?"

The doorbell rang. Mal answered it. He took the food, having paid over the phone. "Thank you. Goodnight."

"How did you know the food was here?" Cynthia was really confused.

Marcy shrugged. She got up and went to the kitchen. She came back with plates and a spoon.

Mal sat the food on the coffee table. He opened the containers and handed everything out.

Marcy gave him and Cynthia plates.

"Is that for me?" Cynthia gestured to the spoon Marcy held.

"No."

Cynthia deflated. "Oh."

"I'm sure they gave you a spoon with your soup."

"You're right." Mal held it up.

Cynthia took it. "Why do you have a spoon?"

"To use." Marcy was confused on how she was confused.

"No, she means what food are you going to use it for?" Mal explained. "Marcy eats rice with a spoon."

"Oh!" Both girls nodded.

Mal took Marcy's plate and put orange chicken on it. "Is that enough?"

"Yeah. Thanks." Marcy dropped three crab Rangoon on his plate.

"It comes with eight…"

"Does it?" She bit into one.

He ripped off a piece of it. "Yeah."

She made a face as he popped it into his mouth. "So?"

He rolled his eyes. "I'll give you very little ribs."

"No, you won't."

"Yes, I will."

"No, you won't and I'll tell you why."

"Why?"

"Because I'll stab you in your sleep."

He laughed. "Alright, I won't."

Cynthia blanched. "You'll stab him?"

"She's done it before."

"Oh my! Are all siblings like this?"

"We are." He dished out the ribs to Marcy and himself. "Do you want to try some ribs?"

Marcy made a noise as she scooped rice onto her plate.

"I'll give her some of my half."

"You better."

"She doesn't play about her food." He smiled at Cynthia.

Who nodded. "I understand. Although American food is much sweeter than I'm used to, I like it better than my own."

You should.* Marcy thought.

Mal could see it in her eyes and offered the white box of spare ribs out. "Do you? Want to try?"

"They are good."

Cynthia smiled. "Sure. I'll try."

He gave her a small portion.

Cynthia could feel them watching her as she stared at the small pile on her plate. She used her plastic fork to spear a dark red riblet then hurried to shove it in her mouth. She chewed then swallowed. "I like it."

Mal and Marcy cheered.

Cynthia smiled.

**_OF_**

"Tonight has been great." Cynthia whispered.

"We didn't really do anything." Mal shoved his fists in his pockets.

"I got to know you better. Your sister brings out the best in you. I really like her." She smiled. "Will I see you tomorrow?"

"Um… I don't know. I have stuff to do-"

"No worries. Just call me." She hugged him. "Bye."

"Bye." He shut the door then turned around. Marcy was nowhere to be found. He was going to check her room but he heard sounds coming from the kitchen.

He went that way and found her washing dishes. "Hey?"

She bobbed her head.

"You don't need to do that."

She shrugged.

"At least use the dishwasher."

She shook her head.

"We need to talk."

"We never talked this much while we were together."

"That's not true. We talked all the time. Until you shut me out."

She stilled. "I shut you out?"

"Yes. From the day I found out about the twins, you hid from me."

"Oh." She calmed and finished with the dishes.

"What do you mean "oh"?" He was angry with the mild answer.

She washed her hands then dried them. "I mean "oh", Mal."

His nostrils flared as she turned to him. "You drive me crazy, you know that?"

"Is that what you wanted to talk about?" She looked bored but was just exhausted.

"No!" But wasn't it though? "I just thought that you did good tonight. Cynthia really likes you. She has no idea who you really are to me."

"Who am I to you, Mal?" She hardened herself to his answer.

He saw the hardness in her face and felt defeated. "The love of my life."

She wasn't expecting that and blinked away some of that hardness. "Sure."

"Don't "sure" me!"

"I'm not doing this! You want to rewrite history? do it without me!"

He caught her arm as she stormed past him. "I'm not rewriting history! I'm telling the truth! You never wanted to be with me!"

She literally had nothing to respond with. She just stared at him, bewildered at how they got to this place. "I'll see you in the morning."

"What?! How is that a response to what I said?!"

She pried his hand from her arm and reached up to kiss his cheek. Then she ambled off down the hall.

He could hear her door close softly. What the hell just happened?!

**_OF_**

Mal slept fitfully that night. He'd wake up every half hour and had nightmares when he did sleep. He could only imagine how Marcy slept.

When he got up the next morning, she was already gone. He'd checked her room and although her clothing was there, she was not.

That made him angry. He told her she wasn't supposed to leave without him.

While he was debating the best ways to track her down, she breezed in. "Where have you been?!"

"Please don't start that." She took off her jacket.

"I said you do not go anywhere without me."

"I didn't _go_ anywhere." She rolled her eyes as she walked passed him.

"Then why weren't you in bed?" He followed her.

"I wanted space from you." She went to her room and tried to shut the door on him.

But he forced the door open and grabbed her by her forearms and shook her gently. "Stop making me crazy! You do these things and they're not okay!"

"Why do you care?!"

"Because I was worried about you!" He admitted without thought.

She paused. "What took you so long?"

"What?" He didn't understand that.

"I would like to lay down. Am I allowed to do that?"

"But-?" He was so confused. "We have- _I _have work so you're coming with me to work. Right?"

"Whatever. When are we leaving? I need a nap."

"Nine."

"What time is it now?"

"Seven something."

"Wake me up at eight thirty." She snatched out of his grasp and pushed him out before slamming the door in his face.

He stood outside it, dumbly until shaking his head and going to get ready. Maybe she'd make more sense after breakfast?

**_OF_**

She did not make more sense after breakfast. In fact, Marcy refused to eat.

He looked at her now. They were outside in a park while he took pictures of his clients. She was sitting crossed-legged on a blanket, looking at everything around her. She acted as though she hadn't been outside in the five years since she'd been gone.

He sighed before telling his subjects to change positions. He'd figure her out some day.

**_OF_**

Marcy had snuck off while Mal was busy doing his job. She'd returned before he noticed but while she was gone, she'd met someone.

That was what she was doing now. Calling that someone. She (and Mal) were back home and she took the house phone into her room.

She knew Mal wouldn't come in without knocking if he wasn't angry with her so since she'd (mostly) done what he said while he had been working, he wasn't angry with her.

She dialed the number and let it ring. Someone picked up. "Hello?"

"Hello. This is the brunette you met at the park earlier while you were walking your dog."

"Oh, hi." His voice deepened.

"I told you I'd call when I got back to the house."

"You did." He chuckled. "Where's your brother?"

"I can't seem to bring myself to care."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah."

"Well if he doesn't mind losing the company, I'd love to take you to dinner tonight."

"I can't. Family thing. How about tomorrow?"

"Perfect."

"I'm afraid I don't have anything other than heavy winter stuff. I just came from a cold place."

"I guess that means I have to take you skating."

Marcy smiled. "Thanks, Bryan. I'll give you the address tomorrow. I'll call you."

"Okay. Call me. Bye, sweetness."

"Bye, stud." She hung up. At first it started as a way to distance herself from Mal but she felt she really clicked with Bryan. He was just so easygoing.

It really made him likable. And boy did she like him. It didn't hurt that the Dominican was attractive.

If Mal could move on, so could she.


	7. Chapter Seven

Mal knocked on the door. Marcy answered. "Do you want to go shopping? I don't have too much food left."

Marcy stared at him. "Su- yeah."

He nodded. "Come on. I'm ready."

She pushed him by his chest until he backed up so she could leave the room. She shut the door behind herself.

They left the apartment and went to get inside Travis. He realized too late how weird this was. "Would you like to drive on the way back?"

She was startled by his offer- to drive her own car. "No thank you."

He looked at her in surprise. She didn't want to drive?! He faced forward so they wouldn't die but he was definitely scared.

They got to the large grocery store and got out to go inside. They got a cart as Marcy looked around. It seemed like a great supermarket. Lots of space and a variety of food.

"Where to first?" He was loathe to interrupt her.

"I don't know how this store is laid out." Usually she liked to go in a circle.

"What are you cooking?"

"Mac and cheese and salad with honey rolls. What exactly do you have at your house?"

"I have… nothing. I ate the rest of my food this morning. My fridge is empty."

"How about your cabinets?"

"Just some canned veggies and soup. I don't even have flour."

"That is the saddest thing I ever heard."

He blushed. "Here. You push."

She got behind the cart and pushed. "We'll just go down every aisle."

He bobbed his head, embarrassed. "Yup!"

Marcy started in the produce section and grabbed romaine lettuce, broccoli, radishes and a cucumber. She went to find a Pink Lady apple. "What veggies do you want for the house?"

Mal shrugged.

She instantly got annoyed. "How have you been taking care of yourself since I've been gone?"

"Honestly, I usually order online for stuff but I rarely cook so…"

She understood. She rarely cooked either. She sighed. "I'll pick out your food."

"Thank you." He pouted.

She rolled her eyes, trying to suppress a smile. She picked up more greens, tomatoes, more broccoli, another cucumber and potatoes along with onions (green, yellow and red) and squash.

Then she picked out apples, grapes, oranges and mangoes. She grabbed containers of black, blue and raspberries.

Then she went to the herbs and got a variety including but not limited to basil, Rosemary and dill.

They left the produce section and headed towards the meat. She picked up a whole chicken and a package of chicken breasts. "Any other meat for right now?"

He shrugged. "Whatever you want to make."

She glared at him. He grinned. She hated that his smile could melt her. She ignored it and him and went to the butcher. She asked for bacon and pork belly along with ground chuck and sirloin.

She moved onto the staples aisles and got flour, sugar, oil, panko, seasonings and sunflower seeds. She got chocolate chips at the last minute.

She grabbed a box of elbow macaroni then went to the freezer section to grab milk, buttermilk, butter, eggs and a load of cheeses.

Then she went to the bread aisle and got a long French baguette before going back into the dry aisles for chips. She had a craving for something salty.

"Wow…!" Her eyes were wide at the chip selection.

"Oh yeah." Mal grinned at her astonished face. "I tried a bunch of chips when I first got here. They're great."

She ached to touch them all. "Can I have one?"

"You can have as many as you want."

She glowed from the inside and his heart hurt just looking at the gratitude and pleasure on her face as she reached for Doritos. "Sam always talked about these."

"What?" His pleasure at her pleasure died a swift death.

"Sam said that cool ranch Doritos were the best chips ever." She repeated. She grabbed both cool ranch and nacho cheesier.

He was definitely put out by her reminder that she'd had other suitors.

She went to a green bag of Lay's ranch and added it to the cart. "I've had these before. They're amazing. Fritos? Chili cheese. I don't really like chili but I like it on dogs." She grabbed a bag.

He tried to get over his attitude. She was there with him. Sam was nowhere around. "Try these."

She reached out for the Cheetos Puffs orange and blue bag. "What do they taste like?"

"Cheese clouds." He swore.

She smiled. "That's so weird! Okay!" She added the bag to the cart before spying pork rinds. "BBQ?!"

"I haven't tried BBQ yet but I had their spicy with a hint of lime."

She grabbed two bags of BBQ and original each and threw them in the basket. "Where's the peanut butter?"

"You want to eat pork rinds with peanut butter?" He stared at her in horror.

She giggled. "No!" She pointed to a bag of pretzels.

He took a breath of relief, glad he'd gotten her to giggle. "I was wonderin!"

"Shut up!" She laughed before getting three bags of pretzels, tiny twists, twists and rods.

"We can go down the peanut butter aisle." He turned the trolley around.

She followed him to the peanut butter aisle. There were so many. "Wow…"

He stopped in front of the WowButter. He grabbed a creamy and a crunchy.

"You don't eat real peanut butter?"

"Why would I?"

"You do realize that _I'm _the one allergic to nuts, right?"

"Yeah." He said after a while.

She realized he was thinking something way more complex in his head and tried to move past it. "Let's go to get ice cream then the deli."

He frowned a little. "Why?"

"Who turns down ice cream?! Come on!"

He smiled and followed her out.

**_OF_**

"I think it's time." Mal huffed as he put the last grocery item up.

"Okay." Marcy was nervous.

So was Mal. "Let's go."

Neither moved.

"Okay, let's just be honest for a second. We're having dinner alone with our children for the very first time. We're scared-"

"Petrified." She shook her head.

"We're petrified. What can we do to make this go more smoothly?"

"Relax?"

"How do we relax?"

She was momentarily stuck. "Deep breathing?"

"Yes. In. Out. In. Out." He took deep breaths and held them in for as long as he could then let them out slowly.

She mimicked him.

Soon they were calm. "Alright. We just have to keep breathing and we'll be fine."

"Let's go."

They left the flat and got in the car to go to the Davidsons. They got out and went to the front door to knock and ring the doorbell.

Mickey answered the door with Greg. "Hi!"

"Hi." Mal and Marcy had to remember to breathe.

"Come in please." Mickey opened the door wider.

Her manners were so cute, her parents were charmed. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Greg shut the door. "They're all ready. We were hoping they could do a little homework."

"They have homework?" Marcy was offended. What happened to being a kid?

"First graders have homework." He smiled to not laugh.

"That sucks. I don't remember doing homework until at least third grade."

"That's because that's when we first started taking it home." Mal reminded her.

"You didn't take it home?" Greg wanted to know.

"Yeah, we used to finish it in school but our teachers decided that we needed to pay attention during school hours and that we'd bond better with our parents if they helped us with it at home."

Marcy scoffed.

"What's that mean?" Greg raised a brow.

"Our parents were busy." Mal shrugged. "Ms. Judy was the only one around back then. And technically we didn't need any help."

"We wanted to talk to you about something. Mickey, sweetie? Will you go get your brother?"

Mickey nodded. "Are we in trouble?"

"No."

She left to go upstairs for her twin.

Greg waited until she was out of earshot. "We need help with their school."

"What's going on?" Mal crossed his arms.

"The teacher is suggesting Ritalin. The children get done with their work and then they don't want to pay attention and get in trouble."

"They don't need Ritalin; they need harder coursework." Marcy frowned.

"Is that a problem you had?"

"Yes." Mal nodded. "We went to a gifted school and even then we were brighter than everyone there. We were offered the opportunity to skip the rest of primary and junior high and even high school to go straight to college but we refused. We wanted friends so we suffered through slow classes."

"Biggest regret of my life." Marcy monotoned.

"Biggest?" Both men raised brows.

"Third biggest." She corrected.

"Third-?" Greg shook his head. "I mean, okay. Is that what you want to do? Take them out of elementary school?"

"If the schoolwork isn't hard enough, what do you suggest?"

"I'm just asking."

"You have to have input."

"What?" He suddenly realized she hadn't been rebuking him but actually asking his opinion. "Oh! I don't know. I did fairly well in school but I was challenged."

"We were not. We stayed in trouble."

"Stayed." Mal echoed.

"Well it's going to be your problem pretty soon." Greg rocked on his heels and toes.

"There's no guarantee you're going to die anytime soon. It has to be your time. Not the doctor's." Marcy lectured.

The twins came downstairs with Josh.

"Everyone's ready." Josh smiled.

"Okay." Mal took a deep breath. "We'll have them back by seven, seven thirty."

"Thank you. Take care." Josh walked them to the door.

The twins put on their jackets and grabbed their backpacks. "Bye, Daddy! Bye, Daddy!"

"See you later, my loves!" Greg and Josh waved.

Mal and Marcy took Mally and Mickey to Travis and got inside. They drove to Mal's apartment.

They went inside, speaking to the security, then upstairs. Mal unlocked the door. "This is my apartment."

The twins went further inside and started looking at things.

Mal hung up their coats. "What do you want to do first?"

Mally was silent but Mickey said dutifully, "We should do our homework."

"He can help you with that while I go start dinner." Marcy ran.

Mal felt fear as the twins stared at him. He gulped.

_**OF**_

Marcy finished with the brown sugar crusted pork belly, herbed and cheesy croutons (made from the baguette) and the panko and herbed oven fried chicken breasts.

She turned the oven down and began finishing with the five cheese Mac and cheese. She was just putting all the cheeses in.

Mickey walked in and climbed on a stool. "I'm done."

"You are?" Marcy jumped even though she'd clearly heard her come in.

"Yes. What are you making?"

"Macaroni and cheese."

"Yum! Mally loves that!"

Marcy nodded and kept stirring until the cheese melted into the roué. Then she added the cooked macaroni.

"I want to know how to cook."

"Daddy Mal knows how to cook. Ask him to teach you."

"He does?" Mickey was sad Marcy didn't want to teach her.

"He's a great cook."

"So this will be nasty?"

Marcy didn't expect that and laughed.

Mickey smiled.

Marcy stirred the big pot together then put its contents in a greased casserole pan. She sprinkled on a mixture of herbs, panko, bacon and cheese. Then she put it in the oven to melt.

"What are you doing now?" Mickey watched her clean up.

"I'm going to put the salad together."

"Salad. Daddies want us to eat salad but they never have good ones. They all sound and look funny."

"There's a lot of salad out there but this is the best." Marcy began taking bowls from the fridge and assembled them on the countertop. "This is romaine. It's really crunchy and has a mild taste."

Mickey picked up a cut leaf and ate it.

Marcy picked up the diced red and green onions. "These are red onions and green onions."

"Like Christmas?"

"Kind of but they have two different tastes. Red onions are sweet while green onions are kind of peppery."

Mickey picked up a green onion sliver and ate it. She made a face.

Marcy giggled. "It tastes better when you don't eat it alone." She dumped the onions into the lettuce. "Now this is pork belly."

"Pork belly?" Mickey had never heard those two words in connection with each other.

"It's the belly of the pig. Right under bacon. Which is what it tastes like. Try one." Marcy held out the bowl.

Mickey tried a chunk. Her eyes lit up. "Mmm! That tastes good!"

"Dump it in."

Mickey dumped the pork belly into the lettuce. "What's next?"

"Cucumbers and radishes."

"What do they taste like?"

"Cucumbers are the best. They kinda taste like water which is weird cuz people put them in water to drink. While a radish tastes like a cross between a cucumber and an onion."

Mickey tried both. "I like that!"

"Dump them in." Marcy handed her the cubes.

Mickey dumped them in. "What's next?"

"The chicken." Marcy had diced the chicken breasts. "Try one."

Mickey ate one. "Yay! I really like chicken. This is good!"

"Thank you. Dump it in."

Mickey dumped it in. "Is there more?"

"Yup. Apples." Marcy handed her the bowl.

"Apples?! In salad?!"

"Yup. Try one. It's a Pink Lady."

"It's not a pink lady." Mickey giggled.

"That's the name, Mac." Marcy tickled her under her chin.

Mickey glowed at the nickname. She took the apples and dumped them in. "What now?"

"Diced hard boiled eggs." Marcy handed her the bowl.

Mickey took a chunk. "Yummy!"

"Oh yeah. Dump it."

Mickey overturned the bowl, scraping to get every last bit out.

Marcy handed her the bowl of shaved cheese. "Parmesan."

"Yum!" Mickey tried a shaving before dumping it in.

"Peas." Marcy handed her a small bowl of green peas.

Mickey made a face but dumped them in.

"Feta." Marcy handed her the crumbles.

"Feta?"

"It's kinda funky and salty but it's really good."

Mickey tried it and immediately made a face.

Marcy laughed. "I told you it was funky."

Mickey liked seeing her mom laugh and decided it was worth it. "What next?"

"Croutons. I know you're going to like these."

Mickey tried one. "Yummy!" She took another.

"Alright." Marcy tapped her hand. "Dump 'em in."

Mickey dumped them in. "Next?"

"Broccoli."

"I like broccoli."

"It's great."

Mickey dumped them in. "Is that it now?"

"We have to toss it." Marcy got salad tongs and began tossing the salad. Then she scooped it into the salad bowl.

"So what's next?"

"The dressing. It's a zesty ranch."

"What's "zesty" mean?"

"I don't know. It just always seems to mean something has something extra."

"Zesty." Mickey tasted the word.

Marcy held out the mason jar. "Dip your pinky in."

Mickey dipped her pinky in.

"Taste it." Marcy poured the rest of the dressing on the salad and began tossing it again.

Mickey sucked on her pinky. "Ooh! Yum!"

"Ranch is the best."

"So that's it?"

"Nope. Now is sunflower seeds. Taste these."

Mickey ate three. "Crunchy!"

"Best salad topper ever. _Now _we're done."

"Yay!"

Marcy set the empty bowls in the sink and the salad bowl out of the way. Then she went to get a shaver and a block of Parmesan cheese. She shaved big slivers of cheese, one for every par-baked honey roll.

"What's that for?"

"The rolls. They were our cook's recipe and he taught it to us. They are honey rolls so they're a little sweet but I like to add a bit of salty cheese to cut through it."

Mickey didn't know what that meant but it sounded delicious. "Yum!"

Marcy put the rolls on the pan and set a curled shave of cheese in the center of each one. She took the pasta out and put the bread in before getting down plates.

"I can do it!" Mickey offered.

Marcy handed her the plates.

Mickey set the plates out.

Marcy gave her the silverware.

Mickey painstakingly set out the forks, spoons and butter knives.

Marcy gave her napkins and cups.

Mickey set those out, too. "Done!"

Marcy set the food in the middle and took the rolls out. She put them in the bread basket then turned off the oven.

"We did it!" Mickey lifted her hand for a high-five.

Marcy touched her hand with a short giggle. "We did. Go get your brother and father."

Mickey scrambled down from her perch and ran out thinking she'd gotten her cooking lesson anyway from her mother.

Marcy put the dirty dishes in the sinks and got out milk to pour for everyone. Then she sat down. It wasn't so bad. They were doing fine.

The others came into the kitchen.

"Wash your hands." Marcy commanded.

The trio washed their hands at the sink with Mal lifting the twins. They came to the island and climbed on stools.

"Smells good, Marce." Mal said.

"Thank you." Marcy held out her hand. "You pray."

"Pray?" The twins echoed.

"Always bless your food."

So Mal said the prayer. Then he used a giant spoon to serve the pasta. Marcy served the salad.

Mal finished with the macaroni and offered everyone a roll. "Oh! There's butter!"

"Yes. There's herbs and apple juice whipped into the butter." Marcy nodded.

"Great." He opened his roll and added butter.

Mickey copied him. So Mally did, too.

He took a bite so they did. And were pleasantly surprised. Marcy baking the bread twice gave it an extra crunch.

"Try your Mac and cheese." Marcy wanted to see what they'd say.

All three tried.

Mal moaned. "I forgot how good your Mac and cheese is!"

Mickey licked sauce off the tines of her fork. "Really yummy, Mommy."

Mally made a face. It was the best macaroni and cheese he'd ever had but he didn't want to pay her a compliment. "It's okay."

"That's okay. Mac and cheese isn't my forte." Marcy shrugged. "Now spaghetti…"

Mal's eyes lit up. "Make that tomorrow!"

Marcy giggled.

He smiled.

"What's this?" Mally speared a broccoli floret with sunflower seeds on it.

"The broccoli or the seeds?" Marcy wanted to know.

"The seeds." He made another face.

"Sunflower seeds."

"We're eating flower seeds?!"

"What's a salad but eating ugly flowers?"

He frowned as Mal laughed.

Mickey patted her brother's back. "Just try it. It's good."

He glared at her for siding with _them_. "No."

"That's fine." Marcy told him. "You don't eat your dinner, you don't get dessert."

"Dessert?" He perked up before eyeing her suspiciously. "I thought you didn't eat sugar?"

"Sugar's in everything and I said I don't eat any sweets when I should have said that I haven't eaten any sweets in five years but I used to eat ice cream and cookies."

"I thought your daddy didn't want you to have sugar?"

"He didn't but our moms thought ice cream was the best thing in the world. My mom had never had it until she came to America."

"Your mommy's not American?" Mickey asked.

"We're not American."

"Are me and Mally?"

"You were born here so you're American."

"Will you get kicked out of the country?"

"Why would you think that?"

"Daddy Greg says that Trump man hates everyone not born here."

"Trump man?"

Mal cleared his throat. "Donald Trump won this year's election. He's going to be president."

Marcy blinked twice before straight confusion crashed onto her features. "What idiot voted for that moron?"

"It's a thing." He rolled his eyes.

"Dear heavens, I thought Americans were smarter than this. I'm seriously disappointed in the USA now."

"Our teacher cried." Mally piped up.

"I don't blame him."

"Our teacher's a girl!" He giggled.

"I definitely don't blame her. Trump doesn't like women."

"He doesn't like women like how our daddies don't like women?"

"Your daddies don't like women romantically. Trump doesn't respect or like women in general."

"Oh."

"Let's not talk about that man before I lose my appetite." Mal's lips twisted. "We can talk about _anything _else."

Mickey ruminated on that before asking, "Where do babies come from?"


	8. Chapter Eight

**_I forgot to upload this last week so you're getting two this week! Maybe even more because I have a lot of chapters of this._**

**_Enjoy and review!_**

**_NJPNJPNJP_**

Mal knocked on Marcy's door. "Hey? Can we talk?"

Marcy opened the door, brushing her hair. "What?"

"Are you going to bed this early?"

"No. Why?"

"You're brushing your hair. You only do that in the morning, at night or when you're upset. Are you upset?"

"No."

"Then I'm confused."

"You'll be fine. What do you want? I'm busy."

"I wanted to talk about us going home-"

"Mal,-"

"You promised."

"I don't remember that."

"You said-"

"Nothing. You asked and I said nothing."

He frowned. "But when I told Mom, you didn't say anything. In fact you said that if you were stuck with us, Mike had to be, too."

"I didn't want to step foot back in Ohio."

"Me either. I left the day of graduation and haven't been back since."

"How is what you did different than what Mikey and I did?"

"Because I told them beforehand and everyone knew where I was! I didn't just leave in the middle of the night or during a ceremony for me! I let them know and I kept my phone to answer it when they call!"

Marcy shifted. "Call Papa Mike."

"What? No. What?"

"Yes. Call Papa Mike. If what you did was so much better than what we did, if you're so much better than us, call your father."

His nostrils flared. "I never said I was better than you!"

"_I stayed_!" She mimicked his deep voice.

He turned around to pace a bit. "I hate when you do that. You only forget what you want to forget."

"That's not true. I wanted to forget you."

He turned to view her. She looked sad. His energy sapped out. "I'm not trying to be a jerk but we're going home. I promised Mom and I don't break my promises."

"To your mother."

"What?"

"You said you don't break promises and I just finished your sentence. To your mother. Because you damn sure broke your promises to me."

"How?!" He leaned forward with a thunderous frown.

The doorbell rang. She looked to the door but he couldn't care less.

"I don't care if it's Cynthia! You're going to tell me what you mean by that!"

"It's not Cynthia. At least if it is, she won't be alone." She walked out.

He followed her. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

She opened the door. "Hi, Bryan."

The taller than Marcy but shorter than Mal Dominican man smiled back at her. "Hello, beautiful."

"Who is he?!" Mal was irate.

"Hi." Bryan held his hand out but Mal just glared at him. "I'm Bryan. Marceline Anne's date."

Mal could have been knocked out with a feather. "What?!"

"Don't wait up." Marcy tried to push Bryan out but Mal pulled on her arm.

He switched to Italian. "When did you even meet this dillweed?!"

"For all you know, he can speak Italian!"

"When did you meet him?!"

"Yesterday! Happy?!"

"Hell no! You're not going on any dates!"

"Yes, I am! You can't keep me locked in here under your thumb just because! I'm a grown woman and I do what I want!"

"You're not going!"

"How are you going to stop me?"

"I'll drag you-!"

"I'll tell him you're not really my brother and that you've kidnapped me. That he should call the police and have you arrested."

"You'd really have me arrested?"

"Haven't I before?"

His nostrils flared again. "You better be back here by eleven."

"You're _a_ daddy, not _my_ daddy."

"Eleven or I will drag you here and no one's going to stop me."

Marcy glared at him before turning to a confused Bryan. "We can go."

Bryan nodded to Mal before taking her arm. "Is he always so protective?"

"He's the last thing on my mind." She pulled him down the hall.

Mal shouted after them, "You better return to this house in the same condition you left it!"

Marcy lifted her middle finger without Bryan seeing.

Mal slammed the door shut. This was bullshit!

**_OF_**

Marcy looked around the ice rink in amusement. "You really brought me here."

"I said I would." Bryan grinned. "I want to see if you can actually skate or if I'll be carrying you all night."

Marcy wobbled onto the ice then skated out. She did a difficult trick and was surprised when she landed on her feet. She hadn't been ice skating in nearly six years.

"Wow. So you're good." He skated out to her.

"Oh that was nothing." She skated literal circles around him.

"Let's see what you can do."

So she showed him. It was fun getting back in the groove, showing off. When she got tired, she skated back to him. "I'm so thirsty!"

"I think it's because you worked up an appetite." He approved.

She curtsied.

He laughed. "Let's get off the ice and get some food. We can talk and get to know each other."

"Alright." She was down for food. Talking, not so much.

They got off the ice and wobbled over to a seat to put their shoes back on. Then they returned the rented skates and went to the indoor food court.

"Is there anything in particular you want?" He asked.

"I know it's October but I could go for some hot chocolate."

"What about to eat? They have pretty great burgers here."

"Really? I'll take a burger. Well done."

"Of course." He chuckled.

She smiled. "No pickles."

"Fries?"

"What kind do they have?"

"A girl after my own heart. It does make a difference. Curly is best."

"Oh my goodness! marry me!"

He laughed. "I think that's my line and it's the first date."

She swatted him.

"But I accept! Will your brother mind if I swept you away or would he call the police?"

She scoffed. "He'd probably be glad to get his life back."

He figured there was a story there so he touched her arm. "Let me order and you find us somewhere to sit."

"Alright." She liked that he didn't ask questions. Actually she just liked him. She'd been having a pretty good time until he mentioned Mal. She shook her head as she went to find a seat against the wall.

He stood in line and she watched him inch up until he got to a register. She watched him order and receive a hard plastic number card. He walked back to find her.

She waved so he could see her. He walked back then sat in front of her. "What number are we?"

"87." He set it between them. "So…"

"So…?"

"Why do you think your brother wants his life back?"

She was annoyed he wasn't letting it go but was touched he cared. "I kinda crash-landed in his life after five years being away."

"You look sixteen at most."

"Please tell me you're not some seventeen year old kid that I'm cradle robbing." She put up a hand.

"I'm twenty five."

She blew out a breath. "Twenty one."

"Now that no one's going to jail,-" He paused when she giggled. "That means you've been gone since you were sixteen. Did your parents split up and they each took one of you?"

"That would be the simple answer. If it were true." Her eyes dropped.

"Hey, hey?" He brushed a curved index finger over her still plump cheek. "Please don't cry. Girls aren't supposed to cry."

She sniffed even though her eyes were bone dry. "I'm not crying. But I might soon. I've been doing it a lot lately."

"We don't have to talk about anything heavy. I get it. My parents divorced when I was six and they fought over me and my little sister even though it seemed like they didn't really want us. They just didn't want the other to have us."

"Wow. That's really awful." She frowned. "I'm sorry you suffered like that."

He lifted his hands. "Now I know what to look out for. Anyone like my mom and/or dad, run from."

"I understand. I'd kill myself if I ended up like my mother."

"Extreme but I understand the sentiment."

"You seem like a really good guy. Why aren't you snatched up?"

"Honestly, I just got out of a messy relationship. She was like my mother so I ran. She didn't make it easy."

"I'm running myself. The past has a way of haunting us long after it's been what you think is long enough."

"Old boyfriend?"

"Kind of."

"Is that why you're back?"

"Not quite. I got blackmailed into coming back."

"Ouch. Have you seen your parents?"

"Not yet but that idiot is making me."

"I'm sure he means well."

"I don't know what he means. I just want to go back home. My home. I was doing fine there."

"Where were you? What's home?"

"Russia."

"Russia…?" He nodded. "Wow. How's your Russian?"

"Perfect."

"I guess five years is enough time to perfect it."

"I already knew Russian so it was easy to live in Moscow."

"Moscow." Hs nodded again.

"Yup."

"Was Russian what you and your brother speaking at the house?"

"No, that was Italian."

"How many languages do you know?"

"I don't know. More than a dozen? I really don't know."

"Fluently?!"

"Yes, fluently. Intermediately, more and as a novice, even more. How many do you know?"

"Two dialects of Spanish and English."

"I know three."

"I don't know why I'm surprised."

"87!" A voice called out.

"Oh, that's us!" Bryan got up to get the food. He came back with it and sat down. "Want any condiments?"

"Ketchup for the fries please." She asked.

He went to get little paper cups of condiments then returned. "Tada!"

"You are like magic."

"I try." He smirked.

She took a fry and waved it like a sword. "I dub thee Wizard Bry."

"Why "Bry"?" He was tickled.

"Wizards have to have cool names. Only exception is Merlin."

"Merlin's not cool?"

"Greatness, no! It sounds like Melvin. Total dweeb name."

"I guess I shouldn't tell you my middle name." He hid his face.

"Shut up! Your middle name's not Melvin!" She hoped it was.

"Worse. Bernard."

"Why'd your parents give you a stuffy black man's name?!"

He laughed. "Stuffy black man?!"

"There has never been a black man named Bernard that was fun and invited to parties."

He laughed again. "You are a delight, Marceline Anne."

She waved her hands. "I aim to please."

**_OF_**

Mal paced in front of the door. It was two minutes to eleven but what exactly was he going to do if she wasn't here? He couldn't call the police. She was a grown woman.

_Shit! _He hated this. He had to find a way to control her. Fast. He stopped when he heard a noise on the other side of the door.

He hurried to put his eye to the peephole. At first he didn't see anything then she and _him _came into view. They were laughing and talking.

He burned up inside. She didn't laugh with anyone but him! She didn't _talk _to anyone but him!

That was it! He swung open the door. Both blinked at him in surprise.

Bryan cleared his throat before smiling at Marcy. "Buenos noches, mi corazon."

"Buenos noches, guapo." She poked his chest hard to get passed his coat.

He leaned in to kiss her but was hyper aware of Mal so he aimed for her cheek. She turned her head so he caught part of her mouth. He backed away with a big grin. "Night."

"Night." She waved small.

He walked down the hall.

She turned to go in the apartment but Mal was standing there, huffin and puffin. "Excuse you?!"

He dragged her in and slammed the door shut. He made sure he locked it then turned to her, chest heaving.

"Whatever." Marcy rolled her eyes and turned, heading to her room but he grabbed her arm. "Let me go!"

He swung her around and held her tight as he kissed her. It didn't take long for her to respond. He didn't mean to kiss her with _everything _he felt but he wanted her to know his rage. Too bad a lot of soft feelings seeped out.

She backed away slowly. She just stared at him.

He swallowed thickly and let her go. "Goodnight." He hurried to his room.

She stood there long after he'd gone wondering if she broke him. Did she ruin his life? Did she ruin him for other women?

How was he with Cynthia? He couldn't be too bad because she was still with him.

Marcy nodded. Mal's emotions weren't her problem. _Mal _wasn't her problem. She still had an end goal. As soon as possible, she was obtaining it.

**_OF_**

The next day, Mal said nothing about the night prior. Nothing about the fight, nothing about her date and definitely nothing about their kiss.

He just made breakfast and asked her how she slept. If he wanted to ignore it, so would she. She'd come to a decision the night before. She gave herself two weeks to get things straightened out.

He looked at her in turmoil. He'd remembered every second of that kiss. It burned him down to his soul. He wished he knew what she was thinking but she seemed fine.

She was eating her eggs without backtalk and she didn't avoid his gaze. Didn't seek out eye contact but didn't avoid it.

The only thing that came to mind was that she'd had an enjoyable time on her date and that just about killed him. But was it fair?

He did have Cynthia. Shouldn't she have someone, too? Fuck that! She had him! He just had to show her.

"Are we leaving together?" She spoke suddenly.

"What?" He'd been busy making plans to keep her locked in his house.

"For Ohio. Are we all going together?"

"Who's all?"

"Me, you and the twins."

He blinked. They could. "Yes."

"I know you said you don't go but do they still have their Halloween party? It'd be fun. No pressure. The twins wouldn't be overwhelmed."

"Yeah, they still have the party."

"We can ask Greg and Josh."

"It's this Saturday though."

"Then we should probably go after breakfast. What do you have to do today?"

"I'm gearing up for a show. I need to take pictures."

"I can stay with the Davidsons-" She sighed at his pointed look. "Fine. We can talk to them quickly then leave to take your pictures. Did Mrs. C ever get in contact with Mikey?"

"No. He's on vacation but she's supposed to be able to reach him today or tomorrow definitely."

"I missed him."

_Is he all you missed?_ He stared at her. "I miss him, too."

"Even though you bugged the crap out of him?" She smiled.

He smirked. "I miss Mercy and Lucy, too."

"How are they? I can't believe I haven't asked before now. This is their senior year of college, right?"

"No. They're in graduate school. They went to college but some stuff happened before then."

"What?" She picked up her toast.

"PR tried to take Beth away from Shelby so Shelby gave Beth back to Lucy and Puck."

Her jaw dropped. "What?!"

"Yeah. It got ugly. Then Mercy got pregnant."

She dropped her toast.

"Yup. So she and Lucy couldn't go away for college. They ended up at State."

"Oh my! Did she and 'Zilla stay together? I bet that made them closer as a couple or some bull."

"Nah. They broke up about a year after the baby was born."

"Aw dang! Sam dodged a bullet."

He smiled, trying not to laugh. "I bet he felt like that."

"So Mercy has a kid."

"Two."

"Two?! Did she have twins?"

"Nope."

"Mercy…"

"Yeah." He cleared his throat. "Finn and Puck joined the army. Finn died in combat."

"What?" She frowned.

"Lucy was a mess. Mercy was so sad. You know Puck was overcome with grief. Apparently they had a threesome and nine months later, both Mercy and Lucy gave birth."

"My goodness!"

"But Puck didn't live to see them. He was killed in combat way before they were born."

"'Zilla?" Her eyes wet.

"Yeah."

She sniffled. "Poor guys. Mercy and Lucy must be a wreck."

"Their lights are definitely dimmed. They come visit sometimes."

"What'd they have?"

"Mercy has a boy and a girl while Lucy has Beth and another girl."

"What are their names and ages?"

"You know Beth is six but Mercy's oldest is going to be four. Her name is Marceline."

"What?!" She frowned in anger.

"She wanted to name her after you."

"That's the dumbest thing-! That poor child! We should call social services!"

He laughed.

She shook her head. "Poor girl!"

"Her son is named Noah Jr."

"That's good. Name him after his father."

"Lucy named her second daughter Noelle. Mercy came up with it. They're both two."

"I like Noelle." She sobered. "So what about Lady and Marc?"

"Laura got pregnant the year after Mercy. He's almost three and he's named after Marc. We just call him Marcus. Then they had another son. He's a year old and his name is Lucas."

"That's so sexy. He's going to grow up hot."

"What?" His face crumpled.

She giggled. "Some names are hot and people grow into them."

He smiled ruefully. "Well he's a year old so he has a long way to go."

"Tell me Maddie doesn't have a kid."

"Dad never lets her out of his sight. She's not getting pregnant until he marries her off."

"Poor Mad. Where does everyone live? I mean Laura and Marc went to two different colleges."

"Maddie still lives in Ohio and so do Mercy and Lucy but Laura moved to London after college-"

"Wait; _Laura _moved? Not her and Marc?"

"Marc's busy."

"Doing what?!"

"Looking for you."

She stared at him in complete confusion. "What?"

"He's made it his mission to find you."

"But-? _Why_?"

He frowned at her pure befuddlement. "He didn't know if you were safe!"

"Who cares?! You don't leave your family for some person!"

"You _are _his family!"

"That's ridiculous." She shook her head. "Somebody must have told him I'm not lost. He can stop looking and _go home_!"

"We don't know where he is. We never know. He's always on the road. He dropped out of college to look for you and only comes back every six months."

"He dropped out of college?!" She really couldn't believe it.

"So he was supposed to look for you on the weekends?"

"He wasn't supposed to look for me at all! Why would he look for me?!"

"You're his sister!" He couldn't believe her.

"So what?"

"Does that not matter to you?" His voice was low.

"Since when does what matters to me matter to anyone else?"

"You're insane. You're insane."

"We have to find him and let him know it's time to put this foolishness aside-"

"Foolishness?!"

"He has to be there for his family! Growing up without a dad sucks! Believe me!"

"Who's fault is that?!"

Hurt crackled in her seafoam eyes and her bottom lip trembled.

He instantly hurt at having hurt her. "Marce. I'm so sorry."

She firmed her lips. "I'm done eating. I'll be waiting at the front door."

"Marce?" He tried again.

She got up and left.

He sighed. "Dammit!"

**_OF_**

Josh opened the door. "Hey! Come in!"

Marcy and Mal walked inside stiffly.

Josh was sad. They never looked happy together. "What do we owe this pleasure?"

"We wanted to talk about bringing the twins to Ohio." Mal stated.

"Oh?" Greg was on the couch.

"Yeah. We talked about it a bit but never really confirmed it." He put his hands in his pockets.

Josh sat next to his husband. "We can talk about that. Have a seat."

Marcy sat on his side. "What are you doing for Halloween?"

"You're thinking about Halloween? That's this Saturday."

"We know." Mal sat on the loveseat. "It's last minute and we understand if you have your own traditions-"

"That would actually work." Greg cut in.

"Really?"

"Yeah. We were wondering if you could take them for the weekend because we have to go to the hospital Saturday and stay overnight."

"What's going on?" Marcy asked.

"Our cells are dropping off at an alarming rate."

"Maybe I should stay here? To take care of you."

"No, no. There's nothing you can do."

"I can make your last days more comfortable."

"The only thing that can make us feel more comfortable is knowing our children will be well taken care of." Josh said firmly.

"Mal is a great caretaker."

"Not to brag but I am." Mal inclined his head.

"We don't want you to take care of us." Josh shook his head.

Marcy didn't mean them but okay. "I can't imagine you want to go through this alone."

"We don't want the twins to see us like this." Greg took Josh's hand. "We think that when you come back from your vacation, you should move the twins in with you."

"Nope! No! Nuh uhn!" Marcy refused to hear it.

"I agree." Mal looked at them with soft eyes. "You can't slink off to die in the woods alone like a dog."

Josh thought about it. "If you take the twins, Marcy can take care of us."

Marcy was torn. She didn't want the twins to be without their fathers but she really did want to care for them. "Okay."

Greg smiled before coughing. It was a terrible fit so Marcy jumped up to grab him water.

Mal stacked couch pillows behind his back as Josh rubbed his hand.

Marcy came back with the water and helped him sip it slowly. "Any better?"

Greg nodded. "I think I need to lie down."

"You're probably exhausted! Why aren't you in the bed already?!"

He smiled. She sounded like a mom already. "I'm going."

"You two help him up to bed then I want you in bed, mister." Marcy glared pointedly at Josh. "I'll make you soup. Mal, go to the store for ingredients."

Mal looked at her, torn.

"I'm not going anywhere." She made eye contact.

He nodded. "Come on. One, two, three!"

**_OF_**

Marcy stirred the soup. It would be better if it'd cooked longer but although she made it from scratch, she wanted it quick.

"They're coughing up blood." Mal came downstairs.

Marcy frowned. "Something's not right."

"I wish I knew more about HIV."

"The extent on my knowledge is the movie _Gia_."

"Got me beat."

She ladled soup into two bowls. Just one ladleful so as not to overwhelm them. She went to the hot cheese, bacon and tomato sandwich she'd made and cut it diagonally.

"Need help?" He came closer.

"Get two plates please." She pulled the sandwich apart before cutting them into tiny triangles.

He grabbed two orange plates and handed them to her.

She set a bowl apiece on a plate then stacked the triangles against them. "Strawberries please."

He grabbed the strawberries and washed them off.

She put a handful by each bowl before decorating the chicken noodle soups with oyster crackers, green onions and cheddar cheese. She put one plate on one tray then the other on another. "Their tea is abysmal."

"You made me get hibiscus and peppermint."

"All they had was breakfast tea." She made a face as she poured hot water into two glasses.

"What exactly are you making? You wanted me to specifically buy loose tea and two tea strainers."

"I don't know how to make it with a tea bag. Probably isn't hard to guess." She stopped. She could have made it with teabags.

He snickered at the disgruntled look on her face. "What are you making?"

"Tea lattes."

"Ooh! Where's the frothed milk?"

"In that saucepan." She poured in a tablespoon of agave and a teaspoon of vanilla.

He divided the milk between the glasses then heaped on the foam.

She sprinkled a bit of hibiscus flowers over top. She put both on the trays along with spoons and napkins. "Here. You take this one."

He took the one she pointed to then they both took the trays upstairs.

"It smells delicious here." Josh coughed.

"It never smells like this here." Greg croaked.

Josh swatted him as he sat up.

Mal gave him his tray. "Here you go."

Marcy gave Greg his. "Text Mal if you need anything else."

"What's this?" Greg pointed to his glass.

"Tea latte."

"I've heard of that but I haven't tried it at Starbucks yet." Josh sniffed the air above his bowl. "Is this Campbell's?"

Marcy looked at him in pure confusion. "Huh?!"

"Who's Campbell?" Mal asked. "Is that your doctor? Do you want us to call your doctor?"

"We can do that." Marcy started for the door.

"No, no!" Greg waved a hand on a cough. "Campbell's is a soup brand. You've really never heard of Campbell's?"

Marcy frowned as she thought. "Didn't they do something during the Civil War or something?"

"Is Campbell's that old?" Josh wondered.

Mal frowned. "Is it just soup they make?"

"I think so. I haven't seen their name on anything else."

"Oh!" Marcy had an _aha!_ moment. "They make the creams!"

"Creams?" Greg frowned. "I don't think you're thinking of the right brand."

"No, no!" She waved a hand. "Cream of chicken and cream of mushroom!"

"Oh!" Mal got it now.

Josh laughed.

Greg shook his head with a rueful smile. "This does smell delicious."

"Well it's just chicken noodle." Marcy waited for one of them to taste it.

Josh lifted his spoon. "What's this green stuff?"

"It's called parsley."

He flushed. "No, I knew that. We don't have any of that here. We don't have too much of anything but snacks. We've been feeding the twins terribly."

"Well I'm going to be taking care of you from now on."

He smiled as Greg tried his first spoonful. "Wow! that's good!"

**_OF_**

Mal took a picture of Marcy as she finished the afterschool snack for the twins amidst preparing dinner. He'd decided to stay and take pictures of the Davidsons and everything in their world.

He didn't want the twins to forget them nor the world. They were good people and deserved to be remembered and celebrated. He'd already decided that they would be the subject of his next show.

Marcy cut the peanut butter and banana sandwich diagonally and set it on a plate with cut up grapes. "What time is it?"

"Three thirty." He took another picture of her.

"I wish you'd quit doing that." She gave him an annoyed look. "The twins' carpool will be dropping them off any second now. Go let them in."

"Banishing me?" He snapped another photo without looking.

She made to grab him but he slipped out of her grasp and went to the living room. The doorbell rang so he went to open the door.

"Hi, Daddy!" Mickey hugged him.

"Hi, Princess." Mal hugged her back.

"Daddy, this is Tommy's mommy, Mrs. Pearson." Mickey introduced the tall woman. "Mrs. Pearson? This is our first daddy."

"Hello." Mal smiled at her.

Mrs. Pearson was shocked. Josh nor Greg had told her anything about the twins' birth father. She thought they were close. "Nice to meet you."

"Did you have a good day at school today?" Mal looked down.

Mally grunted as he shed his layers.

"Mommy's in the kitchen with your snack."

"Yay!" Mickey picked up her brother's items and set them on the loveseat with her own before taking his hand and leading him into the kitchen.

Mal turned back to Mrs. Pearson. "Thanks again for carpool."

"Um… can I see Greg or Josh?"

"They're indisposed right now."

"Oh. Okay. Tomorrow is Katelin's turn to pick up the kids and Devon is bringing them home."

"Thank you." Mal shut the door on her. As he was heading into the kitchen, his phone rang so he stopped and answered it. "Hello?"

"Mally? It's Mom." Jeanette sounded jittery.

"Hi, Mom. I was going to call you today."

"Really?" She sounded surprised.

"Yeah. We'll be back for Halloween. We're bringing the twins with us."

Jeanette immediately started crying.

"Mom, don't cry!"

"I can't wait to see you all. Marc called. He wanted to fly out to see you. To make sure she's really there. I told him you were coaxing her to come home."

"Well she finally said yes. So we'll be flying out tomorrow. We'll get a hotel-"

"A hotel?! Not my children!" She sounded like her old self.

"Mom,-"

"No! I won't hear of it. You'll stay with us. We have the room. The twins can stay in one of the guest rooms and you two can stay in your old room. I changed nothing."

"Mom, that's creepy. And you know I'm with Cynthia."

He could hear her scowl. "Cynthia."

"Mom, Cynthia's nice and she has done _nothing _to deserve this."

Jeanette made a bunch of noises. "Fine! But when Marcy gets a boyfriend-!"

"She already found someone." His lips turned down.

"What?! She's been in America four days!"

"I know… And he seems like a nice guy."

"Do you like him?"

"If he didn't have my woman."

"I thought Cynthia was your woman?"

"Mom, you know I hate that."

"Uh huh. Stop playing games with her before you lose her. You already lost her once."

He was silent for a moment. "Why'd you call?"

She gasped. "I called for Mikey! He was there! I mean he was working today but he was out to lunch so I said I'd call back later but now I'm nervous!"

"Mom, relax. It's just Mike. He loves you. He's going to be glad to hear from you. Alright, I gotta go. The twins are home from school."

She screeched loudly. "They're home from school! Okay! Okay! I'll call you after I think they're asleep. Bye, honey."

"Bye, Mom." Mal hung up and continued into the kitchen, not knowing someone had been watching.

**_OF_**

Jeanette took a deep breath before dialing the number she'd already committed to memory. A person picked up. "Hello?"

"Hello!" Jeanette smiled wide, even though she knew no one could see her. "I'm looking for Mike Chang."

"Oh yes!" The voice said. "You're the one who called earlier! He's here!"

_Yes!_ "May I speak with him please? It's urgent."

"Sure." The person obviously set the phone down. She could hear muffled talking.

Two minutes later the phone picked up. "Hello?" It was him! It was Mike!

"Hi, sweetie." Jeanette started crying.

"M-mom?" He sounded shocked.

"How's my baby?" She sniffled.

"Mom!" He still sounded shocked.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"How are you?"

"I'm fi- I'm good. I'm fine. How are you?" He rushed through.

"It's hard to explain over the phone. I've been taking care of your father. He's sick. It's not good here."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"I was thinking that you come home."

"Mom,-!"

"Just to visit. Marcy's going to be there."

"What?" His voice dropped.

"We found her, Mikey. We found her."

His breath came out choppy. "So when were you thinking?"

"When?"

"To visit. And it'll be a visit."

She almost squealed. "Halloween. We still have our party. Marcy and Mal and the twins will be there."

"Twins?! What twins?"

"Our twins, Mally and Mickey."

"What?!"

"Then you can meet all of your nieces and nephews."

"All? How many do I have?!"

"Eight."

"Eight?!"

"You missed a lot."

"I guess I did!" He was quiet for a moment. "How'd you find me?"

"Marcy did."

"She could always sniff somebody out."

She smiled. "So you'll be here? This Saturday? Promise?"

"Mom,-"

"Promise!"

"Alright! I promise I'll come back home this Saturday."

"Yay! I- I love you."

He didn't say anything at first then, "I love you, too Mom."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

She hung up. She couldn't believe it. She'd actually gotten to talk to her baby boy. She burst into tears at the relief of finally having her family together.

Her assistant walked in. "Counselor?"

"I'm fine." She sniffled hard and got herself together. "Bring me tea please."

"Coming right up." He was worried about her but he'd honor her request. He left.

She took a deep breath and leaned back in her office chair. Everything will be fine. Her family was coming home.


	9. Chapter Nine

**_Still writing on this story (literally ten minutes ago) so there's plenty of chapters coming._**

**_Enjoy and review!_**

**_NJPNJPNJP_**

"Mickey?" Mally waited for after they'd been put to bed to say something.

Mickey breathed deeply. "Yeah?"

"I think our parents are dating."

"That's good. They should be married."

"No. They're dating other people."

She sat up. "What?!"

He sat up, too. "Shhh! They have other people. I heard Daddy talking about a woman named Cynthia and Mommy's boyfriend is supposed to be nice."

"Mally, were you eavesdropping?"

"Aren't you glad I did?"

She thought about it. "Yes. What are we gonna do?"

"Remember that substitute teacher we made cry? We can run those other people off. It can't be hard."

"But you're so mean to Mommy and Daddy?"

"I am not!"

"Yuh huhn! You barely talk to them and you say mean stuff!"

"I do not!"

Footsteps came outside their door so they quieted down. The footsteps kept moving.

"Even if I'm mad at them,-" Mally went on. "They're still ours and they belong together. With us."

Mickey smiled. "Okay. I won't have to be naughty, will I?"

"Mickey, we have to be."

"But-"

"No. We have to be naughty and get rid of those people so Mommy and Daddy can get back together. Even Daddies want them together."

"Okay." Mickey laid down.

He nodded before lying down himself. "We can push them together, too. Everything will be perfect."

**_OF_**

Mal shut the door behind himself. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah." Marcy took off her jacket.

"We can order Chinese again."

"Cool. I'm going to go take a bath. Apple juice?"

"I'll put ice in it."

"Thanks." She walked off.

He leaned against the door, watching her. Only part of it was sexual. He was busy thinking. He didn't want Bryan to have her but he was terrified to give her his all.

Things didn't end up so great the first time. He couldn't handle it if she disappeared or did something else that devastated him like giving away the twins did.

He called the same Chinese place and ordered before going to his room to change into pajamas. He hadn't done anything strenuous in days so he was fairly clean so he only took a bird bath before changing and coming on out.

He got two glasses and left them on the counter. He and Marcy had been better when taking care of Greg and Josh. The twins hadn't even noticed they had been upset with each other earlier that day.

He hoped they could keep the momentum going. He didn't want to fight with her. It was just that he had so many feelings and he'd never dug down deep to examine them or even acknowledged them at all.

He knew it would come back to bite him in the butt but he was going to hold off as long as he could.

He went to the living room and turned on the television. He didn't even know what came on Thursday nights but they'd find something.

He sat watching some weird thing before the doorbell sounded. He got up and got the food. He set it out and went to grab plates. He gave them each food then filled the glasses on the counter with ice.

He poured himself orange juice and her apple. He brought both back to the living room and sat down to wait for her.

She came out three minutes later in her PJs. She sat across from him and pulled her feet up on the sofa. "What are you watching?"

"I have no idea. It's not good."

She reached for her food. "What comes on tonight?"

"I don't know."

She bowed her head and said a silent prayer before looking up and taking a bite of food off her chopsticks. "Do you have Netflix?"

"Oh yeah." He went to Netflix. "What do you want to watch?"

"Kids movie."

He found one. They settled in to watch but he mostly snuck peeks at her from the corner of his eyes.

For her part, she knew he was looking and tried not to let on how much she was affected.

When the movie ended and they'd eaten their fill, he turned to her. "About Halloween?"

"Yeah?" She looked at him.

He got caught up staring at her and had to shake himself back to reality. "I don't have a costume."

"Me either."

"I don't think the twins do either. I can order us something from Amazon. Send it to my parents' so we can get it in two days?"

"I miss Amazon."

He smirked.

"Yeah. I don't know my size though. I haven't bought clothes in five years."

He wanted to comment about how much thinner she was but felt it would make her upset. It didn't matter to him. She'd kept her curves and was still devastatingly attractive to him. "What do you want to be?"

"It doesn't matter. Whatever you pick is fine."

"Alright." He was picking a couples costume then.

"I'm tired." She stood. "Night."

"Night." He watched her leave. He got up and gathered the dishes to put in the dishwasher then came back for the trash.

He threw it away and put leftovers in the fridge before turning off the lights and TV. He shuffled off to bed, briefly pausing in front of her door.

He went to bed and thought about how cold it was, how cold it'd been since he'd last shared it with her (not counting the reprieve of Monday). He wished he could go to her and say something dazzling and everything would be right.

He sighed. _If only_…

**_OF_**

Mercedes Jones yawned as she shuffled to the kitchen of her home. Since she shared a house with her twin and their kids near Ohio State University, she was used to walking this maze.

She went to the kitchen and prepared a pot of coffee. While it dripped down, she inspected the contents of the fridge. She took out bacon and eggs. Something quick and easy.

She started cooking the bacon and checked on the coffee until it was done. She left the bacon alone to pour a cup of coffee then fixed it up nicely before taking a sip.

That really hit the spot.

She went back to making breakfast. By the time Quinn strolled in, she was making the eggs. "Morning."

The blonde yawned. "Morning."

"Are the kids up?"

"Yeah." Quinn Fabray poured herself a mug of coffee. "She's getting them ready."

Getting the kids ready was the nanny's job.

"Good." Mercedes made everyone's plate, also giving them toast. "What time are you getting home today?"

Quinn lifted a shoulder. "I don't know. After class, I have errands to run. I hope to be done by the time school lets out."

"I still have to pick up our costumes for tomorrow night."

"I'm so tired." Quinn yawned.

"Me too."

The four kids and the nanny walked in. "Hi!"

"Good morning." The mothers said to their children. "Eat up."

"Cora?" Mercedes asked of the nanny. "When you pick up the kids from school, make sure you bring them straight to practices."

"Yes, Miss." Cora nodded.

"Beth's Little League coach complained about her being late this week." Quinn explained.

"There was a mishap with Noah."

"I know. You told us. We understand but he's a tyrant. He's not the same coach from when we were kids."

"Which really sucks." Mercedes pouted.

"I'll go straight to practice." Cora swore.

Mercedes' phone rang. "Thank you." She answered. "Hello?"

"Mercy, honey?" It was Jeanette.

"Hi, Mrs. C. What's up?"

"I have good news."

"What is it?"

"Mal is coming home!"

"What?" Mercedes couldn't believe it. "He said he was never stepping foot in Ohio again!"

"I know. But he is because he's bringing Marcy!"

Mercedes burst into tears. "She's coming home?!"

"Yes!" Jeanette was crying, too.

"I can't believe this!"

"There's more. They're bringing the twins."

Mercedes was scaring Quinn and the kids. "Really?!"

"Yes! And I was able to find Mikey and he's coming home!"

Mercedes felt like her heart was going to stop. "No!"

"Yes! They'll be here tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow?! When? What time? We'll meet them-!"

"No, no! We don't want to overwhelm them so I said they'd be able to relax before the party. Promise me you won't show up early."

"Mrs. C!"

"Promise! I want this to go right. I want them to keep coming back."

"Okay, okay. We won't be early."

"Thank you. Have you heard from Marc?"

"No."

"He's on his way home if he's not there already. They're coming to the party, too."

"We'll be all together."

"Yeah, honey. We'll be all together and we'll take plenty of pictures to prove it."

"I just can't believe this."

"I know, honey. I wanted you to know. Tell Lucy. I've got to go but be happy. Our family is healing."

"Okay. Bye, Mrs. C. I love you."

"I love you, too sweetheart. Bye."

"Bye." Mercedes hung up and looked at the others staring at her. "What?"

"What do you mean what?!" Quinn exploded. "You're crying and screaming! What's going on?!"

"I'll tell you later."

"What?!"

"We have to get through breakfast then I'll tell you."

Quinn narrowed her eyes. "Fine."

**_OF_**

"You should be resting." Marcy said again.

"We have to get the twins packed up so you can move them in as soon as possible." Greg folded another of Mally's t-shirts.

"Then you wouldn't be folding." She broke gently.

"Why not?"

She took the shirt from him and rolled it. "It saves space and is less work."

"How do you know that?" He was awed.

"I've done my fair share of packing over the years."

He could tell it bothered her. "Well I'm getting a master class in packing from a world traveler."

"I don't know about master class but it's definitely 101."

He laughed.

"They have a lot of toys." Mal quipped.

Josh winced. "Yeah. We bought a lot of toys for them last Christmas. We went overboard."

"You should see them this Christmas."

"You're going to buy them lots of Christmas presents?"

"Our family will. We take Christmas kind of seriously and everyone gets loads of gifts."

"How many people do you have in your family?"

"5,000."

"What?!" Both Josh and Greg stared at him.

"What?" He didn't see the problem.

"You have 5,000 people in your family?!"

"Yes. More actually. We don't count _everybody._"

"Why not?" Josh wanted to know.

"It's already a bunch of us anyway." Marcy rolled her eyes. "What town would fit all of us?"

"You live in the same town as all of your relatives?" Greg had to hear that again. "You _are _the town!"

"No." Mal smiled. "We get together for Christmas and a family reunion. We pick a city on the map and go to it. We live all over the world."

"Family reunion?" Marcy asked.

"Grandmom demanded it when you left."

"Crazy cracker jack woman…"

"So you all just head to a destination for the holidays?" Josh wanted to make sure.

"Yup." Mal nodded.

"Where's the weirdest place you've ever been?" Greg had to know.

Mal thought about it. "I don't know. America's been my wildest experience."

"Marcy?"

Marcy thought about it. "Kentucky."

"Kentucky?! Why would a family go to Kentucky for holiday?"

"I didn't go with my family." She looked away.

Greg realized he'd opened a can of worms. "What's the best place you've ever been?"

"Osaka was pretty great."

"Japan?"

"Yeah. It's where Maddie was born. That whole time was pretty good."

"Until after she was born." Mal sighed.

"What happened after she was born?" Josh questioned.

Both shook their heads.

Greg was burning with curiosity. "But-?"

"Nope."

"Fine! Keep your secrets!"

"That doesn't work." Marcy raised a brow.

"Darn it!"

Josh laughed. "I love you so much!"

"Thank you, baby."

"You're both way cute but you suck at packing." Marcy reminded them. "For people that want this room packed, you're doing way more talking than packing."

"Okay, okay!"

**_OF_**

Quinn pinned Mercedes with an icy stare after the front door shut on Cora and the kids. "Out with it!"

"Everybody's coming home!" Mercedes couldn't keep a secret.

"Who's everybody and when?"

"Mal, Marcy, Mikey, the twins and tomorrow!"

Quinn screamed.

Mercedes hugged her. "I know!"

Quinn burst into tears. "I can't believe it!"

"I know!" Mercedes started crying again.

"We've got to see them! When are they coming in?"

"I don't know what time. Mrs. C wouldn't tell me but I promised we wouldn't show up early-"

"Why?!"

"Because we want them to keep coming back. We can't overwhelm them."

"We wouldn't overwhelm them." Quinn pouted.

"Yes, we would. And Marc is coming. Mrs. C thinks he's already at home but they're all coming, too."

"We're going to be together!"

"I know. So cheer up. Today is awesome and tomorrow will be here before you know it."

Quinn wiped away her tears and sniffled. "I don't know who I'm going to yell at first."

"Girl, me either!"

**_OF_**

Josh stretched, hearing his back crack. "Yup! I'm old!"

"No, you're _broke down_." Marcy smirked. "I have the same creaks and groans."

"How?!"

"I've done a lot of stuff. Broken a lot of bones."

"You poor child!" He faux cried.

She smiled. "You're so silly."

"She's got you pegged!" Greg laughed.

Mal fell out laughing.

Josh put his fists on his hips. "Hey that's rude! I'm not silly! I'm whimsical!"

"What a cute way to say "off your nut"." Marcy mocked.

"You're so mean…" He pouted.

"People say that a lot."

"That's because it's true!" Mal whispered loudly to Greg.

"Don't get got!"

"She's meaner to me than anybody."

She picked up a stuffed animal and threw it at his head.

"See?!"

She went to him and threw herself on him. She mushed his face.

"You're so mean! Meanie!"

She shook him. "Shut up!"

"You can't silence me!" He lifted a fist.

She kissed his chin.

"Well I guess you can…" He dropped his arm.

She giggled and climbed off him. "It's time for the twins to come home."

"Somebody's supposed to be bringing them. Devon or something like that." He grasped her outstretched hand and got to his feet.

"Ugh! She's so exhausting!" Josh groaned.

Greg snickered. "Josh thinks she's too much."

"She is! She's always flipping her hair and smiling at all the men and her voice! Ugh!"

Marcy giggled. "Damn, Josh. This chick's got under your skin."

"No! No, no! I'm fine! I just don't think she's appropriate."

"She's either a single mom or a stepmom."

"How do you know?"

"Marcy's a genius." Mal grinned.

"Seriously how did you know?" Greg pressed. "She's a stepmom by the way."

"She's literally a genius."

"So is he so don't leave him out." Marcy hooked a thumb at Mal.

"Is that why the twins seem so much smarter than other kids?" Greg was dead serious.

"Probably." Marcy was, too.

The doorbell rang and they all went to get it. Sure enough, it was Devon with the kids.

Marcy took one look at her and shut down. "No."

"Uh oh…" Mal looked away.

Devon smiled. "Hi, I'm Devon, Marissa's mom."

Marcy sighed loudly.

Devon didn't know how to take that. Everybody loved her. "Okay. The twins told Rissy about the trip they were going to take and I was unsure if that was a good idea."

"For somebody that no one was talking to, you sure have a lot of this going on." Marcy mimicked talking with her left hand.

Josh covered his face.

Devon swallowed. "I think-"

"Do you?" Marcy wondered.

Devon burned.

"Damn…" Greg turned away.

"Just give me my kids and get out." Marcy was done with this conversation.

"About that-" Devon tried.

Marcy brought the twins inside and closed the door slowly. "Send it in an email."

"But you didn't give-" The door shut on her confused tones.

Marcy locked the door.

Greg fell out laughing as Josh started clapping.

Mal covered his face but tears were running down his cheeks at the effort it took not to laugh.

Mally giggled.

Mickey was shocked. "Mommy! That's not nice!"

"Mommy's not nice." Marcy had been hearing that her whole life. "Go eat your snack."

"But, Mommy-"

"No buts. Get!" Marcy pointed to the kitchen.

Mickey pouted but took the still giggling Mally's hand to go to the kitchen.

"You are my _hero_!" Josh wanted to hug Marcy.

She raised a brow.

"I have to hug you!"

"Don't."

He frowned. "But you're amazing! I could never be that rude!"

"Josh is afraid of people not liking him." Greg snitched.

"Am not!"

"Yes, you are and I love you for that. But you're a people pleaser."

Josh sulked.

"Stop pouting and get back upstairs." Marcy hooked a thumb at the staircase.

"You _are _mean." Greg joked.

"Are you trying to die faster?"

Josh pushed him towards the stairs. "She seems serious."

The two fled upstairs.

Marcy shook her head and looked at Mal.

He grinned.

"Shut up."

His mouth twisted and he looked away.

"Just get in the kitchen with your kids. I'm going to make sure they got in the bed."

"We can't take too long." He looked back at her. "We have to get to the airport."

"I can tell time!"

"How many times do we have to go over this? No, you cannot."

"Anybody can read a microwave."

"Where's the microwave?"

"We're about to fight."

He walked out laughing.


	10. Chapter Ten

Marcy stared up at the Chang house and blew out a breath.

Mal watched her. "We can go to a hotel."

"That won't make this easier. How are you holding up?"

He winced. "I'm not looking forward to what he's going to say."

"He's sick. He can't yell too loudly."

Mal didn't know what he was hoping for in that regard. He didn't want his father ill but he didn't want to be berated either.

"This is where you grew up?" Mickey asked.

"Yup." Marcy stretched the word out.

"It's a big house." Mally craned his neck.

"Oh yeah." Mal nodded slowly.

"We should go inside." Marcy suggested. "We can't stay outside all night."

"It is the middle of the night." Mal realized.

"Do you have your key?"

"No." He shook his head. "I mailed it back to Mom when I got settled in."

"I never took mine."

"I know."

She looked at him before going forward and pressing the doorbell.

They waited.

The door opened and a slim, beautiful girl appeared. She saw who was at the door and screamed before bursting into tears.

"Maddie!" Mal didn't know what else to say.

"Stop crying!" Marcy did.

Maddie Chang wailed louder and threw her arms around her brother and sister.

The twins looked at each other, shocked.

Marcy patted Maddie's back. "Would you stop all that blubbering?"

"You're here!" Maddie drew back and tried to stop crying but couldn't control herself.

"Yeah, we're here. You act like it's a big deal."

"It is!" Maddie punched her arm.

"The only big deal is how big you've gotten. Who told you, you could get taller than me?!" Marcy put her hands on her hips.

Maddie smiled through her tears. "You didn't grow at all."

"Don't get beat up."

Maddie hugged her again. "I missed you so much!"

"I can't breathe!"

Maddie let her go before hugging Mal. "I haven't seen you since summer!"

"I know." Mal hugged her back. "I missed you, too."

"Daddy, who is that?" Mickey pulled on Mal's coat.

Maddie let him go and peered down. She started crying again. "This is them?! They're so cute!"

Mickey beamed. "Thank you!"

"Guys, meet your Tia Maddie." Mal introduced them. "Say hi."

"What's Tia mean?"

"It means "aunt" in Spanish." Marcy told her.

"Oh." Mickey nodded. She went to Maddie and hugged her. "Hi, Tia Maddie!"

"Hi, precious!" Maddie squeezed her.

"Hi, Tia Maddie!" Mally reached out a hand.

Maddie, still hugging Mickey, reached for his but was surprised when he turned hers over and kissed it. "Ah!"

"He's you." Mal smirked.

"You kiss plenty of girls." Marcy murmured.

"You're so cute!" Maddie pinched Mally's cheeks.

He beamed.

Maddie took a deep breath. "Come in. You must be cold standing outside."

"It's October." Marcy raised a brow.

"Not you. Them. They're from California."

"Yikes."

Maddie laughed. "Marcy!"

"Are you going to let us in or just talk about it?"

Maddie went back inside and held the door opened. Upon entering, she'd seen her parents standing at the bottom of the stairs and inwardly grimaced. _Crap!_

Mal, Marcy, Mally and Mickey came inside with their luggage.

Mal saw their parents first. "Mom! Dad! Hey…"

Jeanette hugged him tightly before facing Marcy.

"Hey, Mrs. C." Marcy could see that time had put wrinkles on Jeanette's face.

Jeanette pulled her close and shuddered deeply as she cried heavily.

Mally looked at Mickey, wondering why everyone was crying.

"It's okay." Marcy patted her back.

Jeanette let her go. She could continue crying later. "You must be exhausted."

"Kinda." Marcy lifted a shoulder.

"Hi!" Mickey waved.

Jeanette looked down. "Hi."

"Guys, this is your Gram and Gramps." Mal pointed them out.

Mickey hugged Jeanette. "I've never had a Gram before!"

"Oh!" Jeanette squeezed her tight.

Mally waited for them to part before hugging Jeanette. "Hi, Gram."

Jeanette hugged him just as tight as his sister. "Oh my goodness!"

"Don't cry, Gram."

She sniffled noisily.

"Mom, you're getting him wet." Mal pulled them apart. "Go say hi to your Gramps."

Mally went up to Michael Chang III and craned his neck. "You're not as big as Daddy."

Marcy rubbed her mouth.

"You sound like your mother." Michael spoke.

"I do?" Mally looked between his mother and grandfather.

"She also says wildly inappropriate things."

Marcy set her hands on her hips. "Papa Mike!"

He glared at her.

She glared back.

Jeanette sighed. "It's time for bed. Let's go upstairs. The guest room is all made up for the twins."

"I can sleep down here."

Jeanette lifted her brows. "You're not sleeping with Mal?"

"Isn't their sleeping together what got us here?" Michael muttered.

"Michael!"

He scowled.

"Dad,-" Mal started.

"Oh, so we're blaming people now?!" Marcy bit off.

"How is this situation _our _fault?!" Michael was incredulous.

"You really think you had no hand in this?!"

Michael reacted as if she'd slapped him.

"Stop!" Jeanette waved her hands. "We're going to bed! Go upstairs!"

They all moved upstairs as Jeanette turned off the lights. Michael slammed into the master as Maddie hugged her siblings before going into her room.

"I'm glad you're home." Jeanette hugged her children before going to her room to confront her angry husband.

Mal ran a hand over his face. "I can sleep downstairs."

"Why would I put you out of your own room?" Marcy argued.

"I'd prefer we'd sleep together."

"No."

"Why?"

"Cynthia."

"Bryan!" Mal got mad.

"Ellen!" Marcy shot back.

"Kenneth!"

"Really?! You're bringing up _Kenneth_?!"

"_And_ Sam!"

"You have a lot of nerve talking Sam to me!"

"It's always somebody with you!"

"Because you weren't ready to marry her!"

"I never would have married her!"

"Stop lying!" She pushed him.

Mickey burst into tears.

Both looked at her and rushed to comfort her. "Shhh! Don't cry!"

"You're! fighting!" Mickey was totally freaked out. Her dads didn't fight so this was completely new to her. "You hate each other and us!"

"We don't hate you." Marcy patted her back gently.

"We don't hate each other." Mal wiped her tears.

Marcy glared at him.

He caught her look and threw one back. "We don't hate each other!"

She scoffed and turned away from him.

"Why are you yelling?!" Mickey started hiccuping.

"We're sorry." Both told her.

Mickey didn't know what to do with herself. She shook, she was so upset.

Mally felt bad for her and went to her to hug her. "It's okay, Mickey."

Both Mal and Marcy felt guilty. Mal spoke. "I'd just feel better if we were to share the same room. I can sleep on the couch."

Marcy almost argued that he was too big for the couch but didn't want to upset Mickey. "I'll get them ready for bed."

He nodded before taking their luggage to his room.

"Come on." Marcy urged the twins into the bathroom.

_**OF**_

Mal stayed quiet as Marcy came into the room. He heard her as she rifled through her luggage then left. He was pretending to be asleep but he knew she wasn't fooled.

He sighed heavily. Everything was a mess and so very hard.

**_OF_**

Michael glared at Marcy and Mal all through breakfast then left to go to work. Jeanette sighed as the front door slammed behind him and gave a shaky smile. "We have to set up for Halloween. Who wants to help?"

"I do!" Mally and Mickey raised their hands.

"I have some business to do." Mal declined. "I'll see you guys later."

"Can I use the phone?" Marcy asked as he stood up.

"No!" Mickey wailed.

Everyone turned to look at her.

"We have to be together." Mickey pouted.

"Princess, I have work." Mal protested.

Maddie scoffed with an eye-roll.

"What does that mean?"

"It means you're a chip off the old block." Marcy's lips twisted in derision.

"Me?!"

"I dare you! I dare you to fix your mouth to say I'm like that woman!"

He wouldn't go that far but he was tempted to out of spite.

"You're yelling again!" Mickey cried.

"Mickey, we need a break." Marcy wanted very much to be away from Mal.

Mickey wiped her face as more tears poured down her cheeks. "You do hate us."

"We just need a break. How about thirty minutes? Can you wait thirty minutes?"

"Then you'll both come back and help us and spend time with us?"

Marcy looked at Mal, defeated. "I will if he will."

"Daddy?" Mickey turned her big eyes on her father.

Mal couldn't deny her anything. "Thirty minutes on the dot."

Mickey dried her tears. "Okay."

Both left.

Maddie smiled at Mickey. "You're good."

"Maddie!" Jeanette snapped.

"Good?" Mickey asked.

"Never you mind, Mickey. We have to get to work decorating. Everyone up."

**_OF_**

Mercedes helped her children into their costumes before going to dress herself. She was going as a GoGo dancer.

Quinn came inside her room. "Zip me up?"

Mercedes zipped up her Diana Ross costume. "You really are embodying Ms. Ross tonight."

"Thanks, Sissy." Quinn flounced her hair. "You look great."

"Think she'll like it?"

"I don't know. I know she'll get a kick out of my outfit though."

Mercedes giggled. "I can't believe we're going to see her after five long years!"

"I've worked out my speech." Quinn was excited. "It'll make her feel so bad, she'll move back home tonight!"

Mercedes had mixed feelings about that. "Should we make her feel bad?"

"Yes!" Quinn frowned. "She was dead wrong to leave us! Mikey and Mal, too! I'm cussing all of them out!"

Mercedes understood where she was coming from. She'd also been incredibly hurt by their siblings' disappearances. "Just don't do it around the kids."

"I won't." Quinn waved that away.

A knock sounded at the door and little Marceline poked her head in. "Mama?"

"Yes, Marceline?" Mercedes raised a brow.

"Noah took off his pants and shoes."

"What have I told you about tattling, Marceline?" Mercedes sighed.

"I'm sorry, Mama."

"That boy." Mercedes shook her head. "Go get your jacket. We're leaving soon."

Marceline nodded. "Yes, Mama."

Quinn waited for her to be gone. "I'll meet you by the door. I need to put on my shoes."

Mercedes looked down at her own toes and wiggled them. "Me too."

**_OF_**

A knock sounded at the door.

Maddie went to go get it. She opened the door then her eyes widened and she left out a scream.

Mike Chang IV smiled. "MadCap!"

She threw herself on him.

Jeanette, Marcy, Mal and the twins ran from different parts of the house to see what was going on.

Jeanette threw herself on him over Maddie.

"Mom." Mike hugged both. "You gotta let me breathe."

They broke away, crying.

Mike saw Marcy and he went to her to lift her up. "Moppet."

"Mikey." Marcy wrapped her arms around his neck. They hugged tightly.

Without turning her loose, Mike turned to Mal. "What's up, baby brother?"

Mal slapped hands with him. "Heard you followed your dream."

"You too."

"Meet Mally and Mickey. Guys, this is your Tio Mike."

"What's Tio mean?" Mally demanded.

"It's Spanish for "uncle"."

Mickey went to Mike and pulled on his jeans.

Mike finally set Marcy on her feet and looked down. "Yes?"

"Hi." She waved.

"Hi, sweetness." He pinched her cheek. "Aren't you cute?"

She beamed.

"Hi." Mally stood by Marcy.

"What's up, nephew?" Mike bent to look him in the eye. "Haven't seen you since you were as big as my foot."

"You saw me afore?" Mally's eyes widened.

"The day you were born."

"Wow."

Mike put his big hand on the little boy's head and shook it.

Jeanette closed the front door. "You must be exhausted."

"Not really." Mike smiled at Mally.

"You don't want to rest before everyone gets here?"

He thought about it. "Sure."

"Your room is exactly how you left it."

He raised a brow. "That's creepy, Mom."

"She didn't change my room either." Mal whispered.

"Is my room the same?" Marcy wondered.

The men shrugged.

"That's horrifying…"

Jeanette glared. "We always knew you'd come home!"

Marcy gave an amused smirk. "Okay…"

Jeanette frowned. "Everyone, go get ready!"

"Someone's bossy…"

"Marcy!"

"We're going." Marcy went upstairs.

Mike snickered and followed her.

"Come on, guys." Mal's lips twitched. "Gram's a little mad."

"Mal!" Jeanette tapped her toes.

Mal ushered his children upstairs.

Maddie laughed airily and followed them.

Jeanette shook her head. Her children. Then she smiled. Her children were home!

**_OF_**

Marcus Jones II adjusted his costume one final time and left his room to go downstairs. He put on his coat and left the house to walk around the corner.

When he got to the Chang house, he stood outside it to get his bearings. He was about to see his daughter for the first time in five years. What was he going to say to her? How would he even feel?

He wasn't sure how he felt now. Everything was a jumbled mess in his chest.

It wasn't going to get any easier outside so he unlocked the door with his key and went inside. He took off his coat and hung it up before going deeper into the house.

He looked around, scared to find her and yet apprehensive about doing so. He peeked into the den and saw someone getting punch from a bowl on a table set up near the fireplace. She turned around and his breath caught.

It was her!

He didn't even feel himself moving but suddenly he was in front of her.

For her part, her eyes were wide and she stared up at him wordlessly.

He reached out and pulled her into his arms. He said nothing but hugged her fiercely. An ache in his heart started to ease.

She stayed still, not even embracing him back. She didn't know what she was feeling but she knew she wanted to run from it.

He backed away, tears in his eyes and firmed his mouth.

She stared at him, words flying through her head but none making it to her tongue.

"Pop!"

Marcus turned around to view Mike. He sniffed hard and pulled him close to hug him, too.

Mike hugged him back. He'd missed him severely.

"Hey, Pop."

Marcus let Mike go and hugged Mal.

Mal hugged him fiercely. He'd missed the man, too.

Marcus let him go and looked at the trio. He didn't know what to say but he knew he didn't want to let them go.

Mal cleared his throat. "Want to meet the twins?"

Marcus' eyes widened and he nodded.

Mal whistled and the twins ran over. "Guys, this is another one of your Gramps. Say hi."

Mickey hugged Marcus. "Hi!"

Marcus picked her up. She was the spitting image of her mother. He hugged her to him and tried not to cry.

Mickey smiled and hugged him back.

Marcus set her down and looked at Mally.

"Hi, Gramps." Mally eyed him. He seemed different than his father's father.

"Hello there."

"Hi, Pop!" Maddie walked in then ran to Marcus. She hugged him hard.

"Hello, Sugarfoot." Marcus hugged her and patted her back.

"Marc and Laura are coming in."

"Marc…" Marcy whispered.

Just then the couple with their two children walked in the door.

Everyone eyed each other before Laura gave her youngest son to his father to hold. She went straight to Mike and hugged him hard.

Mike rocked with her. "I've missed you, Lady."

Laura Fabray Taylor-Jones cried heavily. She tried to pull herself together as she backed away. She saw Marcy and lost it again. She pulled her forward and hugged her.

"Lady." Marcy hugged her back.

Marc Jones III pulled Mike close and hugged him. Mike fought the large lump in his throat and ignored the stinging in his eyes as he hugged him back. "Missed you, little brother."

"Missed you, too big brother." Mike cleared his throat.

Laura let Marcy go and hugged Mal. "Hi, baby."

Mal hugged her close. "Hey, Laura."

Marc went to Marcy and picked her up.

Marcy wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight.

He put her down then hugged Mal. "You alright?"

Mal nodded. "I'm alright."

"Laura!" Maddie hugged her.

"Maddie." Laura hugged her back.

"Marc!" Maddie went to him next.

"MadCap!" Marc squeezed her.

Laura pulled on Marcy's hair. "You cut your hair!"

Marcy pushed her hair off her face self-consciously. "Yeah."

"And it's curly!"

"I didn't take my straightener."

"It looks good on you." Marc set Maddie down.

"I see you're rockin your fro."

Maddie patted his shoulder. "He usually wears it in a bun now."

"Look at you."

Marc laughed.

"Meet the twins." Marcy pulled Mally closer. "This is your Tio Marc and your Tia Laura."

"Hi!" Mickey waved to Marc as she peered up at him. "You're even bigger than Daddy!"

"Got that right! Your daddy's a pipsqueak!" Marc flexed.

"Don't miss that." Mal's lips twisted.

Mally frowned. "What's a pipsqueak?"

"Your daddy." Marc replied.

"Pop!" Mal glared.

"You girl!"

"Marcus." Marcus couldn't explain how good it felt to hear this familiar fight.

"I swear!" Marc shook his head.

Marcy leaned forward and sniffed him. "Did you just shave?"

"Uh… yeah."

"He looked like a caveman before." Laura rolled her eyes. "Scared the children."

Marc frowned but Marcy spoke. "Speaking of those children, can we meet them?"

Laura picked up her one year old and grabbed her two year old's hand. "This is Marcus and this is Lucas."

Marcy picked up the baby and kissed his chubby cheek. "Hi, my baby!"

Mally frowned in jealousy.

"I'm your Tia Marcy." Marcy put him close to her face then threw him in the air before catching him and repeating it. Lucas loved it.

Mally did not…

"Let me see my nephew." Mike took him away from her. "What's up, buddy? You're good-lookin like your momma. Way better lookin than your daddy."

"Shut up, shrimp!" Marc barked.

Mike snickered.

"Hi there." Marcy picked up Marcus IV. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine." He replied.

"Aren't you so cute."

"Thank you. You're cute, too."

"I see you got your daddy's charm but you need a new name."

"A new name?" He squeaked as Mike scoffed and Marc glared at him.

"Yeah. Your momma knew better than to give you the same exact name as your father. How are you supposed to differentiate between you two?"

"Differ-what?"

"How are we supposed to tell you apart?" Marcy explained.

"You think I look like Daddy?"

"You sure do. I bet you're smart."

"Mommy says so."

"You're smarter than your old man already."

"Marce?!" Marc was hurt as Mike and Mal snickered.

"Did you know your daddy dropped out of school like a big ole idiot?"

"What?! I dropped out to look for you!"

"That brings me to reason number two why your daddy should have paid attention in school. He would have known how stupid that was."

Marc crossed his arms over his big chest. He opened his mouth but a scream ripped through the room. "Mercy…"

Mercedes ran over and hugged Marcy, crushing Marcus IV between them. She continued screaming.

"Hey!" Marcy snapped. "Shut that up!"

Mercedes backed away to look at her before hugging her again. "You're the same!"

Marcy groaned heavily.

"Mercy." Mike switched Lucas to his other arm and tried to pry her away from Marcy. "Let her breathe."

Mercedes turned on him and started crying before hugging him tightly.

Marcy didn't even have a reprieve before Quinn was hugging her. "Hi, Lucy."

Quinn sniffled hard.

"I can't breathe." Mike gasped.

Mercedes broke away then punched his arm.

"Okay, I deserved that."

She punched him again.

"I take it you're angry?"

She glared at him before hugging Mal. "How's my baby?"

"Hey, Mercy." Mal hugged her back.

Quinn finally let Marcy go and went to Mike. She sobbed all on his chest.

"It's okay, Lucy." Mike patted her back.

Mercedes jumped on Marc.

Marc twisted side to side, holding her. "Missed you, too Mercy."

Quinn went to Laura and hugged her. "Hey."

"Hey." Laura wiped her tears.

Simultaneously Mercedes and Quinn switched.

Mercedes was still hanging off Laura, when she saw Mickey staring up at them. "Is this her?"

Mal picked Mickey up. "Yup. Mick, this is your Tia Mercy and Tia Lucy."

"Hi." Mickey waved.

"She's so precious!" Mercedes burst out into tears again.

"They're so big!" Quinn joined her.

"Mally, say hi." Marcy urged.

"Hi." Mally waved.

"Meet our children!" Quinn wanted that very much. "Did you know-?"

"Mal told me." Marcy looked her in the eyes. "I'm really sorry about Finn and 'Zilla."

Quinn hugged her again. "Thank you."

Mercedes nodded, still crying. "Thank you."

Quinn picked her youngest daughter up and brought her oldest forward. "Beth? Noelle? Meet your Tia Marcy and your Tio Mike."

"Hi!" Noelle waved.

"You look just like your momma." Marcy smirked. "You don't have her personality, do you?"

"Marcy!" Quinn yelled.

"Sweetpea…" Marcus chided as the others snickered.

Marcy looked at her father then away.

"Tia Mercy says I'm just like Mommy." Noelle said.

"You talk really well but that's not a good thing Tia Mercy's saying."

"You brat!" Quinn yelled louder.

"Why did Kelly ever like you?"

Quinn blushed.

"Who's Kelly?" Beth spoke up.

"She didn't tell you about Kelly?" Marcy raised a brow at Quinn, who paled. "Did she even tell you about Finn?"

"Papa's best friend?"

"Oh, he was more than Papa's best friend."

"Have you told the twins about Kenneth?!" Quinn spat.

"Who's Kenneth?" Mally frowned.

"Ask your daddy." Marc grinned.

Mally turned to his father, whose eye was twitching. "Who's Kenneth, Daddy?"

"Nobody!" Mal meant that.

"Not to Marcy." Quinn taunted.

"Adam!" Marcy snapped.

Quinn's eyes widened.

"Who's Adam?" Mike wanted to know.

Quinn shook her head. "Marcy, no!"

"Why does this sound like something we should know?"

"It's not!"

"I don't trust that." Marc frowned.

Quinn gulped.

"Marcy, who's Adam?"

Marcy shrugged. "So who do we have here?"

"You're really ignoring me?"

"Yup. Now introduce me to my niece and nephew."

Mercedes set her hands on her kids' heads. "This is Marceline and this is Noah."

"I oughta bust you upside the head."

Mercedes scoffed in hurt. "What'd I do?!"

"You gave that baby that terrible name!"

"It's _your _name!"

"And I know more than anyone how much it sucks! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"I can name my baby anything I want!" Mercedes ignored the kids gasping.

"No, you can't! They should have stopped you at the hospital! Especially the people you call family! Why didn't any of you idiots stop her?!"

"Hey! I was gone!" Mike defended himself.

"It's what she wanted." Laura said.

"So give her whatever she wants?!" Marcy scoffed with an eye-roll.

"What would you have named her?!" Quinn bit off.

Marcy eyed Marceline, who quite honestly looked like she could have been her child with her black hair and green eyes. "Raven."

Mercedes was struck stupid for a moment. "That's a good name."

"Duh…"

"Well it's too late now!"

"You can always change her name."

"I'm not changing her name."

"You're so selfish!"

"Me?!" Mercedes couldn't believe it.

"Does she even like the name?!"

"She'll grow to like it!"

"Like I did?! Like you did?!"

"I like my name fine!"

"Tell that lie to someone else, Ms. Brazil!"

"You're so annoying!"

"Right back at you!"

"Girls!" Laura raised her voice. "You're upsetting the children!"

All of the children were looking on fearfully. None of them had ever been around fighting or raised voices.

"I'm sorry." Mercedes apologized.

"I need a smoke." Marcy bit off.

"I'll go with you." Mike offered.

"I'd like to be alone…"

"Do you even have anything?"

"Come on here!"

He smirked as he handed Lucas to Mercedes.

Marcy put Marcus IV down and stalked out.

Mike followed.

Mercedes pouted. "I don't know why you ever loved her."

Mal shrugged.

**_OF_**

Judy Fabray walked into the house and shed her coat. Jeanette came from the dining room and saw her putting her coat up. "Hey! Is she here?!"

Jeanette sighed. "Yes. They all are. It's been fighting ever since."

Judy pouted. "How are they? Marcy and Mikey?"

"She seems angry and he won't say anything."

"At least we have them back." Judy tried to smile.

"For how long?"

Judy hugged her. "Don't cry."

"I just- I want us all together and they can't stop fighting long enough. Michael's ignoring all of them and Marcus won't say anything. No one's talking. The kids seem to be getting along."

Judy squealed. "The twins are here!"

Jeanette perked up. "Come meet them! They're so cute!"

Judy followed her to the den, where the kids were watching a scary movie fit for youngsters.

"Look who's here!" Jeanette announced.

Beth, Marceline, Marcus IV, Noah, Noelle and Lucas got up and ran for the blonde. "Gram!"

Judy hugged her grandchildren. "Hi!"

Jeanette waved the twins over. "Come meet your Gram."

The twins walked over. "Hi."

Judy cupped their chins. "You're so big!"

Mally wondered why people kept telling them that.

"Where's your mommy and daddy?"

He shrugged. "I dunno."

"Well go back to your movie. I'll go look for them."

The kids ran back to their seats.

Jeanette and Judy went through the house looking for their kids and found them spread out.

They happened upon Marcy and Mike in the kitchen. "Ms. Judy!"

Judy burst out crying.

Mike went to hug her. "Don't cry."

She held onto him and wept.

"It's okay." He kissed her head.

She cried until she felt she could stop then went to hug Marcy, who was not feeling it.

Jeanette wrapped her arms around Mike. "What are you doing in here?"

"Drinking." He answered.

"That's nice."

Marcy patted Judy's back. "You can let go now."

Judy let her go. "I've missed you both so much!"

"Marc, Mal and Laura are here." Marcy raised a brow. "Go hug them to death."

"I will!" She hugged Marcy again.

Marcy sighed. "You've got grandkids. Please go bug them."

"I saw them. They look just like you."

"Really?"

"You can't not see it." Jeanette was sure.

Marcy lifted a shoulder before looking up at Judy. "Stop touching me."

"You were always so prickly." Judy frowned before letting her go. "But that's okay. I have other children, who'd love one of my hugs."

"Find 'em."

Mike snorted.

Jeanette swatted him. "Come on, Judy. Let's go find children to pay attention to us."

Judy took her hand and they left.

Mike went back to the island and picked up his cup. "Think they'll stop hugging us anytime soon?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow." Marcy leaned on the counter.

"Really?"

"I'll be damned if I stay here."

"You don't even want to talk to Pop?"

"Will you?"

Mike looked away. "I have a good life in Ontario."

"Anywhere's better than here."

"Here is hard." He agreed.

She drained her cup and poured more bourbon in. "I never should have agreed to come back to this hell."

"Why did you?"

"Why do I do anything? I'm stupid." She glared at the brown liquid before taking a drink.

"If you are, you're not alone."

"I can't believe I'm here."

"Do you regret it?"

"Mikey…"

"It's just me and you."

She looked away. "I don't believe in regrets. You know that."

"That doesn't mean you don't."

She swallowed. "It doesn't."

**_OF_**

Mike hit his father's elbow. "Hey, Dad? Can we talk?"

Michael eyed him before nodding. "Come on, Marcus."

"He said you!" Marcus frowned.

"Marcus!"

Marcus rolled his eyes.

Marc and Mal followed the trio to the office and closed the door.

Michael sat behind his desk. "So you're wanting to talk?"

"Yeah." Mike rubbed the back of his neck. "How are you?"

"What is this?"

"I- _we _just want to know how you're feeling."

"Why?!" Michael was so confused.

"Come on, PM." Marc just said it. "We know. Mrs. C told us."

"Told you what?"

"You're sick." Mal stated.

"Sick?! I'm not sick!"

"What?!" All three snapped.

"I mean I had a cold but I'm already getting over that. I'm not sick."

Mal opened the door and they all filed out. They went back to the den and found the girls and kids cleaning up. "What's going on?!"

"What's wrong?" Mercedes frowned.

"Mom!" Mal bit off. "Dad's not sick?!"

"What?!" Everyone else looked between them.

Jeanette's eyes widened.

"What do you mean he's not sick?!" Marcy yelled.

"Mrs. C?!" Laura stared at Jeanette.

"Papa Mike is sick? Or not sick?" Mercedes was confused.

"What's going on?" Quinn was, too.

"Mom said Dad was sick!" Mike bit off.

"Why would you tell them I was sick?!" Michael was offended.

Everyone looked at Jeanette, who burst into tears. "I lied!"

"We caught that. Why?" Marcy crossed her arms.

"To get you home! You and Mikey were gone and when we knew where you were, I had to insure you'd come home! Mal and Marc never stepped foot back in Ohio! I had to get you all here!"

"Wow… So we out here lyin to our kids now? So that's what we doin? Listen up, tiny tots. The Easter Bunny is real and totally not a drug addict's excuse for huffin paint."

"Marcy!" Mercedes scolded.

"I'd like to know what was the purpose of this!" Laura felt tricked. "We were coming back anyway!"

"I didn't know for sure you were!" Jeanette defended herself. "And it worked! You're all here!"

"You lied to us!" Mike was mad. "You're not even sorry!"

"Why'd _I _have to be sick?!" Michael was miffed as well. "Why couldn't it had been Marcus?!"

"What?!" Marcus stared at him.

"Michael!" Jeanette glared. "I got them here! You weren't supposed to know! We were supposed to be happy to see each other!"

"For what?!" Marcy was incredulous.

"We're a family." Jeanette felt like crying again.

"Some family." Marcy walked out.

"Mal?"

Mal held his hands out for his kids. "Come on, guys. Time for bed."

"Mal?!"

Mal picked up Mickey and took Mally's hand to lead him out.

"Well I don't appreciate being lied to." Marc went to pick up Marcus IV. "Come on, Laura."

Laura picked up Lucas and took his hand to leave.

"Guys?!" Jeanette tried to hold her tears in.

"We should go." Mercedes said quietly.

"Say goodbye to your grandparents." Quinn commanded.

The remaining kids waved goodbye to their grandparents as their moms hustled them out.

Maddie looked at her mom, just confused about everything. "I'm going to sleep." She walked out.

Mike shook his head before following her.

Jeanette gulped.

Michael made a rude noise. "I'm taking a drive."

"I guess I'll be riding." Marcus followed him out.

Judy wrapped her arms around Jeanette as the brunette cried.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Michael lowered his paper. "You're not dressed!"

"What?" Mal was confused as he, Marcy and the twins came in for breakfast. "Yes, we are."

"Not for church."

Mal looked at Marcy then Jeanette. "We didn't plan on going."

"And why not?" Michael pierced him with a glare.

"Why would we?" Marcy bit off.

"In this family, we go to church!"

"Dad!" Mike spoke up.

"Maybe we don't want to be in this family!" Marcy snapped.

Jeanette gasped. "You don't want us?"

Marcy looked away.

"You're in this family whether you like it or not." Michael spoke lowly. "Go put on church clothes."

"We don't even have anything." Mal protested.

"You both have rooms full of clothes."

"Dad, you're being unfair!"

"*I'm* being unfair?!"

"Stop! Just stop." Jeanette was close to tears. "Please, please get some clothes."

"Fine." Marcy stood and walked out.

Mal and the twins followed her.

"What about you?" Michael grunted at Mike.

Mike rolled his eyes and left.

Maddie lifted her glass of juice, wishing it had gin in it.

_**OF**_

Marcy leaned on the doorbell.

It was opened by Mrs. Alma Gonzales. "Señorita Marcy!"

"Mrs. Gonzales!" Marcy hugged her.

"Your Papí told me you were here but I did not think I would see you!"

Marcy smiled at her. "Well you're seeing me."

"Guys, this is Mrs. Gonzales." Mal introduced the twins. "Mrs. Gonzales? These are the twins. Mally and Mickey."

"Hi!" The twins waved.

Mrs. Gonzales smiled at them. "Hola!"

"Is Daddy here?" Marcy asked.

"Yes, he is." Marcus' voice came from inside the big house.

Marcy sighed. "Good morning, Daddy."

"Good morning, Sweetpea."

"Hey, Pop." Mal was wildly uncomfortable.

"Jr."

"Hi, Gramps." The twins were unsure of how to treat Marcus.

"Hello, little ones."

"I just need clothes." Marcy moved into the house. "Is my room still here?"

"Yes." Marcus nodded.

She didn't know what else to say so she went up the staircase, her family trailing behind her.

She went to her green door, surprised it was still green and opened it- straight into the past. Everything was exactly how she left it. She'd taken nothing but warm clothes when she left so everything held memories.

Mally and Mickey looked around as Mal looked at Marcy.

For her part, being inside that room hurt Marcy. She pushed it down and went to the closet. She turned on the light and looked around her spacious closet.

Mickey followed her and picked up a trophy. "What's this?"

Marcy looked over from perusing dresses. "It's a trophy."

"For what?"

"I don't know. I can't see from here."

Mickey brought it closer.

Marcy took it from her and traced the plaque with her finger. "It's for horseback riding."

"You rode horses?" Mickey loved horses.

"A long time ago." Marcy gave it back and continued looking for a dress.

Mickey stared up at her in awe. What else did she do?

Marcy found a black dress that was long and covered all of her. She went to the dresser and collected underwear.

Mickey stared at her, knowing she wasn't okay but not knowing what to say to ease her.

Marcy walked back to the bedroom and went into the tiny bathroom. She shut the door and ran the shower.

Mickey set the trophy aside and looked over everything else in the closet. There were more trophies but also sports equipment. She ran across a couple pairs of skates and was shocked. She loved ice skating. She didn't know how but always wanted to learn.

She kept looking and found books in boxes. She couldn't understand every title she read but they were big, thick books. She went on and found sashes. Was her mother a beauty queen?

She went to the vanity and opened it. Jewelry was everywhere. Pretty baubles that would make anyone fawn. Mickey sure did. She ran her fingers over the crowns and a splendid brush, comb and mirror set. They were exquisite.

Mally walked in. "What are you doing?"

"She has so much stuff." Mickey's voice was hushed.

"Yeah." Mally looked around.

"She had a life before us."

"Yeah." Mally looked down.

"She's so mad at everyone. Do you think she's mad at us?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. We probably ruined her life."

Mickey gasped.

"Sorry."

She looked away before getting up from the vanity. Both left the closet. Mal was laying on the bed from the side, his eyes closed.

They climbed up on the trunk at the bottom of the bed and climbed in it to sit next to him. Mally laid back and adjusted his body to mirror his father's.

Mickey laid back, too but cuddled up to him, trying not to cry.

Minutes later, Marcy opened the door to the bathroom. She came out and saw them on her bed. A warm fissure wormed its way through her heart. She was loathed to move them.

She set her clothes aside and picked up a camera to take their picture. Her mouth twisted as she still didn't want to disturb them but knew Michael would want them to come right back.

She went to Mal and poked his belly. "It's time to wake up."

His lashes fluttered. "It's wake up time?"

"Yeah, it's wake up time." She'd forgotten all about their song to wake up Marc.

He opened his eyes and looked at Mickey half on his chest. He patted her back gently. "Wake up, Mick."

Mickey blinked awake. She didn't even realize she'd gone to sleep.

Marcy picked up Mally's heavy body. "Wake up, Poppa."

Mally stayed sleep.

Marcy dug her finger in his side and wiggled it.

He moved to get away from her but since she was holding him, he couldn't go anywhere.

"Wake up, Poppa."

He peeled his eyes open with a frown.

She smirked at him. "Daddy hates waking up, too but you gotta. We got church."

"But you don't wanna go."

"I do not. But your Gramps is a stubborn man."

"Stubborn?"

"Oh yeah."

Mal sat up. "We should go."

"I need shoes."

He looked down at her pink feet. "You do."

She set Mally down (he didn't like that) and went to the closet for shoes. She picked up the first pair of ballet flats she could find and came on out. She put the shoes on. "Now I'm ready."

"Okay." Mal stood up.

Mickey wanted him to hold her. But she didn't know if she could ask.

He picked her up but set her on her feet on the floor. They all moved out of the room and went downstairs.

Mrs. Gonzales came from the kitchen. "I missed you very much."

"We missed you, too Mrs. Gonzales." Mal told her.

"Visit?" She hoped.

He looked at Marcy. "We can try."

Mrs. Gonzales nodded, knowing they were never coming back.

Mal hugged her. "Bye, Mrs. Gonzales."

"Adios." Marcy waved.

"Adios." Mrs. Gonzales hugged Mal hard.

"We should go."

Mal backed away and smiled at the Guatemalan cook/housekeeper.

Mrs. Gonzales waved them off as they went back around the corner to the Chang house.

Marcus came from his office. "Are they gone?"

"Sí, Dr. Jones." She closed the door.

He sighed. "I should get going."

She looked at him in pity. He'd been a broken man since his children left. He rarely ate the way he was supposed to, he worked all the time, he barely spoke. He was a mess.

He grabbed his coat and left.

She sighed heavily, wondering if this family could ever be fixed.

_**OF**_

Mike wanted to groan. This was the fifth person to come up to them in as many minutes, wanting to welcome him and his siblings home. It wasn't that he thought they were insincere but he knew that they all wanted to gawk. He didn't like it.

"We'll see you later, Mrs. Campbell." Jeanette smiled, her face hurting from faking it so much. "We'll talk soon."

Mrs. Campbell pinched Mal's cheek and clucked. "Such a handsome boy. Shame, shame."

Mal was unamused. "Goodbye, Mrs. Campbell."

She wrinkled her nose at him before hobbling away.

"Mal, don't be rude!" Jeanette hissed.

Mal glared at her.

"Can we go before one of these train-wreck loving cads come over here again?" Marcy spat.

"I'm hungry." Marc agreed.

"Let's go to Estelle's for brunch." Judy suggested. Every Sunday, they had pre-breakfast consisting of granola bars and juice, saving a big meal for after church.

They piled in their cars and left.

The manager of Estelle's hadn't seen all of them in such a long time, he nearly had a heart-attack seeing them.

Marcy rubbed her forehead, tired beyond belief.

He sat them and handed out menus. "It's so good to see all of you again."

"Thank you." Marcus nodded.

He ran off, giddy.

"So church was fun." Maddie snarked.

Laura huffed. "It's just a surprise."

"That's why they were looking at us as if we were the Kardashians?"

"Definitely felt like I was in a fishbowl." Quinn muttered.

"It'll get better." Judy swore.

"It hasn't in five years." Maddie rolled her eyes.

"Maddie!" Jeanette hissed.

"No, Mrs. C. Maddie has something to say." Marcy raised her brows. "What do you have to say, Mad?"

Maddie blew out a breath. "I don't have anything to say. Nobody's ever asked me anyhow."

"Sounds like something to me."

"Nope. Nothing."

"Girls, calm down." Laura ordered. "We're in public."

"Whatever." Both leaned back.

Lucas didn't like the tension and began crying. Laura took him out of the high chair and cradled him.

"Let me see him." Marc held his arms out.

"I have him."

"I can do it."

"Since when?" She frowned as she got up to go to the bathroom to change his diaper.

Marc stared after her in shock. The others looked at him so he snapped his mouth closed and glared at his table setting.

Quinn patted his hand. "She doesn't mean it."

He patted her head.

Waiters came over to take their order as Laura returned.

"I want blueberry pancakes." Marceline ordered.

"She'll have the apple cinnamon." Mercedes shook her head. "And the hot chocolate."

Marceline pouted.

The waiter took it down. "And for him?"

"Chocolate chip pancakes and orange juice." Mercedes said.

"Yes, ma'am."

**_OF_**

"Sweetpea." Marcus didn't know how this conversation would go.

Marcy poked at her French toast, not really having an appetite. "Yeah?"

"We need to talk."

Everyone started paying attention. "About what?" She asked warily.

"Money."

"Money?" That threw her for a loop.

"Yes. You have money."

She was totally confused. "Huh?"

"Your inheritances, your money from working; you have money."

Marcy shook her head. "Keep it."

"I can't and I won't. It's yours."

"I don't want it."

"Denying the money won't erase the fact that you're one of us." Michael bit off.

She glared at him. "It comes with rules and stipulations. I'd rather be homeless."

"Were you?" Marcus hated to ask.

She looked away. "I took care of myself."

"By doing what?" Michael pressed. "You dropped out of school. You left everything here. What could you possibly done-?"

"Everything for me! I did what I had to do for me to survive. And I did. Without you."

Michael looked away, extremely angry.

Marcus felt defeated. "The money is there. I still pay your allowance. Your cards are still active."

"Fine." Marcy rubbed her temples, not wanting to talk about it anymore. "Can we go now? We have a flight to catch."

"You're leaving?" Judy felt like crying.

"Goodness, yes!"

"We have to get back." Mal said quietly.

"Yeah, I kinda left a hole back in Ontario." Mike admitted.

"You can't stay for one more day?" Jeanette could feel her heart breaking all over again.

Marc shook his head. "We gotta go."

"Of course you do." Maddie bit off.

Mercedes felt incredibly sad. "We won't see you again?"

_Not if I can help it_. Marcy rolled her eyes. "No one knows the future."

"That's another way of saying no." Quinn wiped her eyes hard.

"We'll probably come back at some point." Laura was practical. "There's Christmas."

Mike, Marcy and Mal made faces.

"You don't even want to come back for Christmas?!" Mercedes burst into tears.

"Oh my goodness, stop crying!" Marcy yelled.

Mercedes felt bereft. "You don't want to be around us! How could I not cry?!"

"We will come to Christmas! Just stop with the theatrics! It's beneath you."

Mercedes swallowed hard.

"Come on, Marce." Mike didn't like seeing Mercedes upset. "We can come back. It won't be bad."

"Like this wasn't?" Marcy was ready to go.

Mal had to agree. "We need to leave."

"So do we." Marc stood up.

Everyone, dejected, stood up. The check was paid and they all left.

**_OF_**

"Are we going back to our daddies tonight?" Mickey asked, needing some normalcy.

"Not tonight." Mal shook his head. "They need to rest and it's late."

"What if they need help?" Mally worried.

"We're going over in the morning." Marcy told him.

He nodded. "Okay."

The taxi rumbled down the street until it came to Mal's apartment building. He paid and they all got out to go inside.

He ushered them upstairs and Marcy put them to bed. She came from the other spare room and wiped her hands over her jeans.

"Did they go down fine?" He asked from leaning against the wall across from the room.

"They were quiet." She looked anywhere but at him.

He hummed and nodded. "Going to bed?"

"Yeah. There's no reason to be awake."

He understood that. "Me too."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

_**OF**_

Greg opened the door. "Good morning."

"Daddy!" Mickey leapt on him.

He staggered. Mal caught him. "You alright?"

Greg nodded. "Yes, thank you. Hi, Mickey. How was your trip?"

Mickey didn't know what to say. She was taught to never lie but should she say that everyone fought the whole weekend?

He cupped her chin. "Did you have fun?"

"We have cousins."

"You do?" He smiled. "How many cousins do you have?"

"Six!"

"Wow." He was shocked to hear that.

"We're fertile." Marcy said flatly.

"Did you have fun, Mally?" Greg said nothing about that.

Mally shrugged. "Do we have to go to school?"

"Yes, you do, young man."

"That's not fair! I'm sleepy!"

"We got back late." Mal explained.

Greg nodded. "Maybe you could take a day off-?"

"Nope." Marcy refused. "You two are going to school and you and Josh are staying in bed."

"Why can they stay home?" Mally whined.

"Because I said so. Go give your Daddy Josh a hug then Daddy Mal will drive you to school."

Mally crossed his arms.

"I don't care! March your little butt up them stairs before I drag you!"

His bottom lip trembled and he ran upstairs.

Mickey looked up at Greg in fear.

Greg looked at Marcy in fear. "Marcy,-"

"Get upstairs, Mickey." Marcy ignored him.

Mickey burst into tears and ran upstairs.

Marcy shut the door. "Have you eaten breakfast already?"

Greg was just in shock. "Are you really that violent?"

"Yes." Mal looked away.

"Shut up." Marcy glared at him before glaring at Greg. "Have you had breakfast yet?"

"No." Greg answered. "But-"

"You can go upstairs, too. Get in bed. I'll make you breakfast and you can tell us what the doctors said."

Greg frowned. "I'd really like to address this-"

"Go upstairs." She maintained eye contact with him.

Greg sulked before hobbling upstairs. He was over thirty years old but this girl who could barely legally drink scared him.

Mal's mouth twisted. "He's already dying. You don't have to scare him to death."

"Eat me." Marcy took off her jacket.

He eyed her.

She looked back at him. "That's right. That's not your job anymore."

He frowned.

"Go pry them from Josh so you can take them to school. I don't want them late."

"You're still so bossy."

"Okay. Stay right there. I'm sure they have a cast iron skillet."

He went upstairs.

She rolled her eyes and went to the kitchen.

**_OF_**

Marcy set the last tray on Josh's lap. "Are you comfortable?"

"We're confined to the bed." Josh pouted.

"Just until you get better."

"You don't think we're dying." Greg realized.

"I don't think your doctors know what the hell they're talking about."

Josh snorted with laughter.

"So what'd they say?" Marcy sat on the bed.

Greg sighed. "It's getting worse."

"What are we looking at?" Mal wanted to know.

"They want us to look into around the clock care. Organs are starting to shut down. We have to start going in for dialysis starting today-"

"What time?" Marcy interrupted.

"Noon."

"Do you have transportation or is Mal taking you?"

"We have a shuttle coming from the hospital."

"Do you need me to come with you?"

Greg stared at her in awe. She seemed so harsh and stiff but she said sweet things like that like it was no big deal. "We would like it if you would."

Josh nodded. "We've had to have it a couple times and it's always a drain."

"Okay. Do you need anything? Books, music, work, a fucking chess board?" Marcy asked.

"I don't know how to play chess."

"It's easy."

"You're great at chess, aren't you?"

"I'm okay."

"She beats everyone she comes in contact with." Mal bragged.

"He's exaggerating."

"Maybe you can teach us?" Greg smiled.

"Okay. You probably don't have a chess set, do you?"

"No."

"Do you have one, Mal?"

"I haven't played chess in years." Mal shook his head.

"Neither have I."

Mal was surprised. "You love chess."

"I haven't played any games."

"But you love games."

"I grew up."

He stared at her in horror.

Josh frowned. "Liking games isn't for children."

"Do you want lunch?" Marcy asked instead of responding.

"Lunch? We're eating breakfast." Greg was confused.

"I meant for the hospital. Do they feed you or do you need to buy your own lunch?"

"Oh! Um… I'm not sure."

Marcy facepalmed. "We didn't make anything for the twins for lunch! I can make it now. What do they like?"

"I usually just make them peanut butter and jelly sandwiches." Josh shrugged.

"That's lame."

Greg laughed. It had caught him off guard and he laughed. So hard he ended up coughing.

Mal helped him drink his tea. "Better?"

Greg nodded. "Yeah. Thanks."

"Was it worth it?" Marcy pursed her lips.

"Hey, that was funny!"

She rolled her eyes. "Are they allergic to anything?"

"No." Josh shook his head.

"Your food is running low so Mal will have to take me to the store. I'll make everyone's lunch. Do you have lunch boxes or bags?"

"The twins do. They're under the cabinet under the sink in the kitchen."

"I'll get brown paper sacks for you guys. Come on, Mal."

"Let us give you some money. You're buying everything all the time."

"You need to save your money."

"For what? The funeral?" Greg didn't get it.

Marcy smiled. "For when you recover."

Greg's heart warmed. "Take the money."

_**OF**_

"You really suck at this." Marcy quipped.

"I don't understand!" Greg frowned. "I have so many pieces still on the board!"

"It's okay. You'll learn."

Greg sat back with a scowl. "I hate this game!"

"You sound like Lucy." She grinned.

"Lucy?" Josh looked over.

"My sister. She hated chess because she could never win. But that had less to do with chess and more to do with she's terrible at games."

Josh smiled. "I never heard you talk about anyone before."

Marcy lifted a shoulder as she reset the chessboard.

"We met so many people when you gave birth but I know I have them all mixed up." Greg eyed her. "Who was there?"

"Just my siblings, my parents, a few grandparents, a couple aunts and uncles, some cousins." She refused to look at him. "Go."

He stared at her.

"Just go."

He picked up a pawn and moved it forward. "How did they feel that day?"

"Don't know; don't care." She moved a rook.

"When did you leave?"

"A couple hours after you signed the papers."

"So soon?" Josh frowned. "I know your parents were looking for you but we didn't think you left until later."

"Nope. I left the hospital, packed two bags and left."

Greg took his turn, moving another pawn. "That had to be hard."

"Nope." She moved her rook.

"Where did you go?"

"To the train station."

He took his turn. "Where?"

"New York." She took her turn.

"You lived in New York?" Josh asked.

"No."

Greg took his turn. "Where'd you go after you went to New York?"

"Hopped a plane."

"To Russia?"

"Yup." She took her turn.

"And you've lived there for the past five years?"

"Yup."

He took his turn. "You never thought about coming back?"

"No. Got your king. I'm going to go take a walk." She stood up and left.

Greg blinked. He hadn't been paying attention to the board but he was surprised to see her queen had cornered his king.

"I wonder what she's been doing the last five years." Josh said in the quiet.

"She obviously wasn't happy."

"She's not happy now." Josh turned to his husband. "We have to fix them. We're leaving our children with them and they deserve healthy, happy parents."

Greg nodded. "I don't know much about matchmaking."

Josh smiled. "Leave it to me."


	12. ChapterTwelve

"How did it go?" Mal asked as Josh, Greg and Marcy came inside the house.

"It went fine." Greg was exhausted honestly.

"Let me help you upstairs."

"That's so nice of you."

Mal looked at him funny.

Greg realized Mal wasn't doing it to be nice. He really cared about people and their comfort. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Mal wrapped Greg's arm around his neck and his own arms around Greg's middle.

Marcy helped Josh up after him.

The four went up the steps slowly then down the hall to the master bedroom. Marcy and Mal helped Greg and Josh into bed.

"Do you need anything before I get started on dinner?" Marcy pulled the covers over them.

"Some pain pills please." Greg groaned.

"Where are they?"

"In our bathroom. But I would like cold water please."

"Of course. Who drinks warm water?" She went downstairs.

"Can you help her, Mal?" Josh asked. "I don't want her to fall on the stairs."

Mal had a flash of Marcy falling down the stairs. She was terribly clumsy and would so he hopped up and ran out.

Josh smiled. "They just need to spend more time together."

"Getting water?" Greg gave him a look.

"Any time. Suggest they take the twins to the park together."

"She's making dinner."

"Greg!"

"Her food is delicious!"

Josh sighed with a head-shake and eye-roll.

_**OF**_

"Mommy?" Mickey eyed her homework at the kitchen table as she and her brother did schoolwork as their mother finished dinner.

"Hmm?" Marcy tossed the salad.

"Why are our daddies sleeping?"

"They're tired."

"Why?"

"They're very sick. It takes a lot of energy to be sick." Marcy checked the oven.

"Why did they get sick?"

"Sometimes doctors make mistakes."

"They look tired."

Marcy nodded as she went back to tossing the salad. "It's much worse on the inside than the out. Your daddies are fighting a battle."

"Do you think they're going to win?"

"I pray they do."

"Why do you pray if you don't like going to church?"

"I never said I don't like going to church."

"Then why didn't you want to go yesterday?"

"I haven't been around many people in a while. I was never a fan of them and would rather avoid them."

"Then why do you pray?"

"Prayer is a conversation between you and God, sweetie. It has nothing to do with other people."

"No one can hear it?"

"No one but God."

"What kind of conversation is it?"

"It can be about anything. You're just talking to Him."

"Like talking to you?"

"Better. He knows you better than you know yourself. He knows every single thing about you and loves you anyway."

"Does He talk back?"

"Not anymore. He stopped talking back to people a long time ago."

"Do you love God, Mommy?"

"Yes, I do."

"Why?"

"Because He was always with me. No matter what I was going through, I could always count on Him."

"Were you ever scared?"

Mal looked up.

Marcy turned to the oven and took the large dish out and set it on the stove. "Yes, I was."

"And He was always there for you?" Mickey asked.

"Yes. I could always feel Him protecting me."

"Can we go back to church?"

Marcy stilled. She didn't want to deal with church people. She knew not everyone was judging her but it felt like it. "We'll see."

"Okay, Mommy." Mickey went back to her homework.

Mal stared at Marcy. He really wanted to talk about what she said. It struck a chord in him and he had to talk about it. But not in front of the twins. He'd wait until that night.

_**OF**_

Mally frowned. "We're going back to your house?"

"Yes." Mal put his coat on.

"What about Daddy and Daddy?"

"They're staying here."

"But they're sick." Mickey pouted.

"I know. But they need their privacy. Mommy will call them during the night to make sure they aren't hurt. We're coming over in the morning so you can see them and you'll come back afterschool."

"But we barely got to see them today." Mickey's bottom lip trembled.

Mal squatted in front of her. "Your daddies don't want you to see them sick and Mommy and I agree. You're too little to see that."

She started crying. "No, we're not."

"Yes, you are. I don't want you having nightmares."

"Nightmares?" Mally piped up.

"It can get really scary."

Mickey was terrified. "What about when we're at school? Does Mommy call them?"

"Mommy and I are here, taking care of them."

"Won't you get scared?" Mally asked.

"Mommy and I have seen some pretty scary things. We can handle it."

"I'm big. I can handle it."

"No, son." Mal ran his hand through his son's curls. "Everyone would feel better if you and Mickey just did what we said."

"Okay, Daddy." Mickey sniffled.

Mally frowned. "Okay, Daddy."

"Here." Mal stood and handed them their jackets. "Put on your coats."

Marcy came from upstairs. "They're comfortable. We can leave."

Mickey went to her mother and grabbed her hand. "Are you gonna call them when we get there?"

"Huh?" Marcy looked down.

"I told them you'd call Greg and Josh throughout the night to check on them." Mal explained.

"Oh. Sure."

Mickey pulled Marcy to the door.

Marcy grabbed her jacket and opened the door. "Are you zipped up?"

"Yes, Mommy."

"Come on."

_**OF**_

Mal waited for Marcy to leave the twins' room. He tried to catch her eye. "We need to talk."

"About what?" Marcy was tired of talking.

"About what you told Mickey."

"What'd I tell her?"

"About being afraid."

She swallowed. "So what? Fear doesn't do anything but hold you back."

"Doesn't change the fact that you were afraid. Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I'm not talking about this."

"Please-!" He reached for her as the doorbell rang.

She backed away. "It's probably Cynthia. You should get it."

"Marce…" He gave her wounded eyes.

"Go." She went to her room and closed the door softly.

He went to get the door, swearing mentally. "Hello?"

"Hi!" Cynthia hugged him. "How was your trip?!"

He swallowed. "It was a trip."

She laughed. "Going home is always fun, isn't it?"

He said nothing.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?"

He didn't want to but he had to remind himself that she'd done nothing wrong. "Sure."

She came inside and went to sit on the couch.

He shut and locked the door before going to sit on the arm of a chair. "How was your weekend?"

"Great. I did a spread. It was amazing." She patted the space next to her. "I went to a Halloween party. It was very festive."

He didn't move. "That's good."

She pouted. "How were your parents? You said your dad was sick?"

"He's fine. They're fine." He bobbed his head, playing with his fingers.

She scooted to the edge of the couch and grabbed his hands. "You know you can tell me anything."

"Daddy?" Mickey's voice sounded behind him.

He jumped up and away from Cynthia. "Mickey?!"

Mickey frowned. "Who is she?"

"Daddy?" Cynthia looked between him and the child.

Mal was caught. "What do you need, baby?"

"Who is she?" Mickey glared at Cynthia.

"She's Daddy's friend. What do you need?"

"I'm thirsty."

"I'll get you a little bit of water but not too much." He went to get her water.

Mickey glared at Cynthia. So Mally was right… That woman had to go.

Cynthia smiled at Mickey but was seriously uncomfortable around children. "You're pretty."

Mickey said nothing.

"You look like your daddy."

Mickey still said nothing.

Cynthia had run out of things to say but luckily Mal came back with a glass half full of water. He gave it to Mickey and helped her drink it. When she was finished, he set it on the table and picked her up to take to her room.

Mickey stared Cynthia down the whole time.

Cynthia gulped.

Mal came back less than five minutes later. He picked up the glass.

"So you have a child?"

"Yes." He nodded.

"How many?"

"Two."

"How long were you going to hide it from me?"

"It's not something I talk about."

"Why not? Who's their mother?"

"I know you don't understand but I can't explain it."

"You can't explain it?!" She shot up.

"Cynthia!" He stepped in front of her. "There's things from my past that I don't like talking about."

"Everything!" She waved her arms. "I don't know the first thing about you! I don't even know how old you are! I don't even know how old you are. Wow."

"I'm 21."

She shook her head. "Where do you come from?"

"None of this is important."

"Wrong answer!" She twirled around.

"Cynthia, wait!" He followed her to the door.

"Cynthia!" Marcy called out.

Cynthia turned around. "Marcy?"

"Don't leave like this." Marcy came into the living room.

"Why not? He's been lying to me since the day we met! Are you even Chinese?!"

Mal's eyes slid away.

"Oh my goodness!"

Marcy stood in front of the door. "I know you don't want to hear this but things are not all bad. He didn't tell you anything before but that doesn't mean he doesn't care about you. He's complicated. But you're going to regret leaving him now."

"Really?" Cynthia didn't believe her.

"Yes. Don't do it. Do you want to look back at this moment and regret it?"

Cynthia thought about it. In her heart she believed Mal was a good man. Technically it was before her. Could she get over this? "Can I meet them?"

"If they'd want to."

"That's fair. I'll come over tomorrow. If they want to meet me it'll be the perfect time." Cynthia threw Mal a dirty look before addressing Marcy. "Thank you, Marcy. _You're_ really looking out for me. See you tomorrow."

Marcy nodded as she left without another word. Marcy walked back to her room.

Mal hurried to lock the door and catch up to her. "Hey? Thanks. For that. I know you're not my biggest fan right now but-"

"I'm not doing this for you." Marcy frowned at him like he'd lost his mind. "She was right; I'm looking out for _her_. Because when she dumps you- and she will, it should be because she realizes exactly who you are."

His mouth fell open as she went in her room and shut the door in his face.

_**OF**_

"Daddy." Mickey squeezed Josh.

"Yes, sweetie?" Josh brushed her curls back.

"Daddy has a girlfriend."

"He does?" Josh looked at Greg.

"Not _that_ Daddy. Daddy Mal. She talks funny."

Josh frowned. "Mal has a girlfriend?"

Greg grimaced. So much for their matchmaking plans. "How do you know that, sweetheart?"

"I saw her." Mickey pouted. "Mommy is way prettier."

Greg's lips trembled, trying not to laugh. "It's unfair to compare people."

Mickey buried her face in Josh's chest.

Josh ran a hand over her hair. "I think Daddy Mal would like for you to be nice to her."

Mickey didn't want to hear that.

"Do we have to?" Mally put words to her thoughts.

"It'd make all your daddies happy if you did." Josh told him.

"He wants us to meet her."

"Then I trust you'll be on your best behavior."

"Okay, Daddy." Mally lied.

Mickey nodded but she didn't plan on it either. Cynthia had just been an idea before but seeing her in the flesh made her territorial over her father. He was hers!

Mal came in the room. "Come on, guys. Time for school. Mommy has your lunches."

_**OF**_

Greg waited for Marcy to be distracted with her cards, mostly because he didn't want to bring it up and Josh was forcing him to. "So Mal has a girlfriend?"

Marcy looked up, confusion on her features. "Huh?"

"Mal. He has a girlfriend."

She made a face. "The twins must have told you."

"Yes." He waited a beat. "How does that work?"

She frowned, her confusion back. "Work?"

"With you and him?"

"There is no me and Mal." Her voice grew cold.

"So you're alright with him having a girlfriend?" Josh didn't believe that.

"I have a boyfriend."

"What?!" Both men shouted.

"She said she had a boyfriend!" A patient snapped. "Get over it!"

Josh glared at him before looking at Marcy. "When did you get a boyfriend?!"

"Last week. We haven't DTR'd or anything but he's nice." Marcy tapped Greg's hand. "Go."

Greg threw out a random card. "So you're just going to date other people?"

"One, stop throwing out cards before you've picked one up. It's Rummy. Two, that's none of your business."

Greg picked up his card then took another from the stack. He threw it down immediately. "I think we should know if our kids are going to be around all these strange people."

"I'm not introducing Bryan to the twins."

"You're not?" Josh was surprised. "Why not?"

"It's none of his business if I've got kids. He's not their father."

"What if he becomes a more permanent part of your life?"

Marcy scoffed as she picked up a card.

"You don't plan on it going anywhere?" Greg frowned, not liking the sound of that.

"Bryan is nice but I'm not marrying him."

"Do you want to get married some day?"

Her top lip curled in disgust. "No."

Josh was hurt. He'd always wanted to be married. "But-?"

"You guys are grossing me out. I don't want to talk about marriage. It's disgusting. Let's just play."

"I don't get this game." Greg complained.

"You're going to learn a game even if I have to shoot you."

Greg gulped.

Josh faced the TV on the wall with a frown. He didn't care what she said. Everyone wanted to get married and she would be marrying Mal.

_**OF**_

Josh dragged Mally over to him as soon as Marcy left to clean up the kitchen. "Mally, did Mommy tell you about her special friend?"

"Special friend?" Mally stared up at him in confusion.

"Yes. Mommy has a special friend. I want you to ask her if she does and when she says yes, ask to meet him."

"Josh!" Greg was blown away.

"Greg, we're running out of time!"

"We can't play with other people's lives!"

"We want them together!"

Mally frowned. "You want Mommy and Daddy together? I knew it! I told you, Mickey!"

Mickey crossed her arms with a scowl. "So?!"

Greg cocked his head with a confused frown. "Have you talked about this before?"

"Yes."

Greg nodded. _They must have talked about it last night._ "We do want your mommy and daddy together but they have to be happy together."

"They will be." Josh and Mally argued.

Mickey nodded.

Greg knew he was outnumbered and seriously considered telling Marcy and Mal but he did want them together. "When you ask Mommy, be sure to really look at her but don't have her look at you."

"Why not?" Mally asked.

"Because your mommy can see through to your soul." Greg shivered.

Mally giggled.

_**OF**_

Mally waited for Marcy to be dicing the onions for the salad to ask. "Mommy?"

"Yes?" Marcy chopped quickly.

"Do you have a special friend?"

"Special friend?" She frowned as she wiped her finger across the blade to get all of the slivers off the knife.

"Like Daddy."

Mal looked up as Marcy blinked. Mickey watched her father.

Marcy swallowed. "I do." She put the onions in the bowl with the lettuce.

"Can we meet him?" Mally watched her carefully.

Marcy slowed her movements as she thought rapidly. She didn't want Bryan to meet the twins. Even though she truly liked him, she didn't plan on being with him long. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

_Damn! _She took a deep breath. "I'll ask him."

"Does he know about us?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"You're none of his business."

Mally smiled. "Can we meet him tomorrow?"

"I'll ask him tonight."

Mickey watched the hurt cross her father's face. She didn't want him in pain. Maybe they shouldn't meet this Bryan character?

"Be cordial when you meet him." Marcy resumed dicing ingredients. "Just like when you meet Ms. Cynthia tonight."

Mickey frowned. That was right. They were meeting the Wicked Witch that night. She saw when Mal winced and in solidarity of her mother thought, *Good!*.

"Yes, Mommy." Mally agreed to Marcy's demand, even though or especially because he had no idea what "cordial" meant.

Marcy began dicing the eggs. "Finish your homework."

"But it's so boring! I wanna play!"

"You can play after your homework. The sooner you get it done, the sooner you can leave."

He frowned before picking up his pencil. "I already know this stuff!"

"Then Daddy and I will talk to your teachers. Until then, get to writing."

Mal tapped his arm. "Try to think of it as a game."

"A game?" Mally looked up at him.

"Yeah. Maybe when you finish, we can come up with a game like a game show to make it more fun?"

"I like game shows! We watch Family Feud all the time!"

Mal smirked. "Okay then. We'll make up a Family Feud styled game."

"Aw hell…" Marcy muttered with a head-shake.

Mally giggled as Mickey gasped and Mal scowled. "Leave me alone!"

"You're most definitely not alone in this."

"Pick on them!"

"I'm not picking on you. We just know the truth." She raised a brow at him.

He scowled and looked away.

The twins wondered what they were talking about but they didn't seem to be fighting. Not like they were that weekend.

Maybe things were getting better?

_**OF**_

Marcy brushed Mickey's hair slowly as the little girl recited her multiplication table up to eleven. "Twelve."

"Twelve times zero is zero. Twelve times one is twelve. Twelve times two is twenty four." Mickey played with her fingers.

Mally flipped through a book from his old house. It was a baby book but his favorite. "Are you sure Daddy will read this to us?"

Marcy looked over as she separated Mickey's curls. "Yes. He's just cleaning out the bathtub. He'll be in here in a minute."

Mally wrinkled his nose. "Is Ms. Cynthia nice?"

Mickey turned her head to watch her mother's face.

"Yes, she is." Marcy turned Mickey's head so she could start French braiding her hair into one pigtail. "She's very nice."

"I think you're very nice." Mickey whispered.

Marcy blinked as her heart cracked. She wrapped her arms around Mickey and squeezed gently. "Thank you, baby."

Mickey blinked back tears. This was her first hug from her mom.

Marcy let her go and resumed braiding her hair. "Twelve times three is?"

"Thirty six."

Mal came in after Mickey got to 12•8. "Hey?"

"Daddy!" Mickey brightened.

"Hi, Princess." Mal smiled at her.

She liked that nickname from him. She slid off her mother's lap and went over to him. She took his hand and pulled him to the bed. "Mally picked his favoritest book."

"Did he now?" He picked her up to put her in the bed.

"Come here, Mally." Marcy patted her lap.

Mally brightened. Was she going to brush his hair, too? He hurried to crawl over to her.

She sat him in her lap and began brushing his hair.

He laid against her chest and relaxed.

Mal smiled to keep from laughing. He understood. He sat next to Mickey and picked up the book to thumb through it. "Marce? It's yours."

"Hmm?" Marcy frowned, not stopping brushing Mally's hair.

"This book. It's yours."

"Mal, I don't have any books here."

"Not one you own. One you wrote. Look."

She stopped brushing and took the book. Staring back at her was her second children's book ever published. Her pen-name was emblazoned on the cover. "It's mine."

Mally looked back at her with a frown. "You wrote it? How?"

"I was thirteen." Marcy was so shocked that she barely knew she was talking. "I was feeling terrible and I was in the attic looking through my baby things and ran across a book I hadn't seen since I was your age.

I can't even remember the title but it made me smile. It was a short story about a little boy who felt ignored by his family so he made a rocket-ship to go to outer space.

I used to wonder what would have happened if he had ever really gone and I went downstairs and started writing.

I didn't even know they still printed this." Marcy closed the book.

Mally eyed her. She looked to be thrown back into the past. But that was his favorite book. It made him want to be an astronaut. "Is that the only book you ever wrote?"

"No. There were lots of others." She set the book aside.

"Mommy had been on the Best Seller's List with every book she's ever published." Mal knew she was sad. Her writing had always been a touchy subject for her.

"What's that?" Mally wanted to know.

"It's a list of books that has sold really well. Lots of people have to buy it for your book to make it on there."

"Wow!" Mickey looked at her mother, who was still watching the book.

"Daddy, will you read that one?" Mally asked.

"It'd be good to read a Lily Emerald story again." Mal hadn't read any of her works since he'd come out of his depression right before he left Ohio.

Marcy went back to brushing Mally's hair. She began humming, in an odd mood now.

A few minutes later, the doorbell rang.

Mal looked at the door then back at Marcy. "It's Cynthia."

Marcy nodded.

He got up and went to the door, dreading this. He just wanted to be with his family. He wanted to talk to Marcy about why she wrote _Caden and the Space Cadets_.

He opened the door with a fake smile. "Hi."

Cynthia nodded as she stepped inside. "Just know I'm only giving you this last chance because Marcy convinced me."

"Thank you…?" He was so confused.

"Lie to me again and we're done."

He bobbed his head, already planning on telling her he was lying to her about a lot of things.

"So… do they want to meet me?"

"Yes." He shut the door.

"Where are they?"

"With Marce. We're putting them to bed."

"She's a good aunt. She's a good sister."

"She is." He admitted readily enough.

"Well go get them." She stood stiffly in the middle of the entryway.

He left and went to the twins' room. "It's her. Are you ready?"

Marcy set Mally on his feet and grabbed Mickey's hand to pull her to her feet. "Meeting new people is hard but they can't hurt you. All you have is each other. As long as you're together, you're unstoppable. Understand?"

The twins looked up at her and nodded.

Mal remembered that speech. Marc gave it to them sixteen years ago during a dark period in their lives. The fact that he and his siblings weren't close anymore broke his heart.

He pushed it away and held his arms out for Mickey.

Mickey stared at him in awe for a moment before running to him.

He threw her in the air, making her giggle. He set her high against his shoulder and walked through the door.

Marcy and Mally followed.

Cynthia was sitting on the couch.

Mal came to stand in front of her and set Mickey on her feet. "This is my princess, Mickey."

"Hi!" Cynthia used that high pitched tone people used on babies.

Mickey frowned.

"Say hi, Mick." Mal urged.

"Hi." Mickey mumbled. She turned and raised her arms for Mal to pick her up. He did and she buried her face in his neck.

"She's shy." Mal rubbed her back. "Meet Mally. Come on, son."

Marcy didn't want to let him go but knew she had to. She looked down at him and smiled.

Mally let her go after a minute then went to his father.

"Mally, meet Ms. Cynthia." Mal introduced them. "Cynthia, this is my firstborn, Mally."

"Mally?" Cynthia used the same silly voice. "That's a unique name."

"It's my name." Mal bit off.

Cynthia frowned in pure confusion. "I don't understand."

"I named Mal." Marcy explained. "Mally was his nickname."

"You named Mal?" Cynthia was impressed but it made sense. She had never heard the name Mal before meeting him. A child had to have come up with it. "That's so special for you two."

Marcy refrained from rolling her eyes. "Uh huh."

"Well hello, Mally. I'm sure we're going to be good friends one day."

Mally stared at her, the word "weak" rolling through his mind.

"You look just like Marcy. You're probably going to be as pretty as her one day." Cynthia told Mickey.

Mickey looked over Mal's shoulder at Marcy.

Marcy mouthed "thank you" to her.

Mickey pouted. "Thank you."

Cynthia beamed. "How old are you?"

"Five." Mally spoke up.

"And you're twenty one?" She looked up at Mal, who said nothing. "Oh! Um… What do you like to do for fun?"

"Set things on fire." Mally said without missing a beat.

Cynthia's eyes grew. "Oh my!"

Mal put his hand on his son's head. "It's time for them to go to bed."

"It was nice to meet you." Cynthia pulled out that voice again.

Mally turned and went to Marcy, who picked him up.

Mal pulled on Mickey's braid. "Say goodnight."

"Goodnight." Mickey didn't even look at her.

"Goodnight." Cynthia knew they didn't like her.

"I'll be back." Mal told her before leaving with Marcy.

They went back to the twins' room and set the kids on the bed.

"That wasn't nice." Mal chided as he sat next to Mickey.

"I don't trust her." Mickey pouted.

"Don't." Marcy pulled the sheets back so they could get under the covers. "Trust no one."

"Marce!" Mal frowned.

"Trust no one." Marcy stared him in the eye.

He sighed and picked up the book to read it. He gave every character a different voice and made the sounds more prominent.

The twins were entertained.

Marcy swept Mally's hair back from his forehead as she began singing.

The twins had never heard the words to _You Are My Sunshine_ but they loved it instantly. Pretty soon they were asleep.

Mal and Marcy kissed their foreheads and tiptoed out. After shutting the door, they stared at each other until Marcy went next door to her room.

Mal sighed again and went to join Cynthia in the living room. He sat across from her on the arm of the chair.

Cynthia watched him as he played with a loose thread. "They don't like me."

"They don't know you."

"You're a teen dad?"

He bobbed his head.

"What are you?"

He looked up. "Wha-?"

"Your nationality. What's your ethnicity?"

"Those are two different questions but they have the same answer."

"Which is?"

"I'm Japanese."

She sat back. "And your first language was Chinese?"

He bowed his head again. "No."

"It was Japanese?"

"Yes."

"Then why can you speak Chinese? Were you ever speaking Chinese? Was the order taker speaking Japanese?"

"It's a Cantonese place. I was speaking Cantonese."

"What is Cantonese?"

"A form of Chinese."

"Why can you speak Cantonese?"

"Why not?" He hunched his shoulders.

"Don't lie to me."

"I haven't lied."

"Who's their mother?"

"I can't tell you that."

"Is she still in your life?"

"Yes."

"Do you see her often?"

"Yes."

Cynthia felt very jealous. "What's to stop you from going back to her?"

"I ruined things. She'd never want me back."

She didn't want to hear that. "Do you want her back?"

"She hurt me, too." He pulled at the string.

"You were kids." She couldn't help but to comfort him. "Having children is rough on any relationship but when you're children yourselves, not many people make it."

He shook his head. She didn't understand the situation but more than that, she didn't understand him and Marcy. They weren't other people. Their love was felt in the marrow in their bones and the oxygen in their blood.

Cynthia watched him. "Do you love her?"

"I'll always love her. She's the mother of my children."

Cynthia was hurt but she didn't have children. Did every man feel like this towards the mother of his offspring? "I think I need some time."

"I understand."

She wished he'd look up. Make eye contact with her. He rarely did so and she felt it isolating. "I'm not breaking up with you. I just need space."

He bobbed his head. "I understand."

She stood up and approached him. He kept his head bowed. She didn't know what to do so she left.

He sat there, pushing his emotions down. He knew he was wrong for downplaying his feelings for Marcy and maybe he was wrong for not admitting that it was Marcy he loved but he just couldn't get hurt again.

He had no idea how they were going to go forward or what the future could hold but he was terrified of the petite dancer and he was honestly angry with her.

All these emotions made him exhausted so he got up to lock the door then shuffled off to bed.

Hopefully Cynthia didn't break up with him but it would probably be for the best if she did. He would never marry her and she deserved someone who could give her that.

He made up his mind to tell her the truth whenever she did call him. Before she invested her heart.

_**OF**_

Marcy waited until she was sure Mal was in his room for the night before coming out. She went to get the house phone and a bottle of apple juice and a bottle of vodka. She also grabbed a tumbler of ice.

She went back to her room and closed the door before going to her bed. She set the glass on the nightstand and everything else on the bed before climbing up.

She poured in two ounces of vodka and one ounce of apple juice and drank it straight down before refilling the glass and doing it again. She made it through four knock-backs before she turned on the light and grabbed Bryan's number.

She dialed it and poured another drink as she let it ring.

"Hello?" Bryan picked up.

"Hey? It's Marceline Anne."

"Hi."

"Hi."

"How was your Halloween?"

"There's not enough whiskey in all of Ireland…"

"Rough, huh?" He chuckled. "Didn't you go see your family?"

"Yup." She knocked back her drink.

"Were they happy to see you?"

"I have no idea."

"That sucks. I could take you out. Make you forget about it all."

"Could you?" She poured more.

"Yeah. We can go to the movies. No dress code required."

"You're really nice." _You don't deserve someone like me…_

"Just interested."

She was quiet for a while before, "I have something to ask you and you can totally say no but I promised I'd ask and you're probably going to say no and I don't blame you-"

"Marceline Anne?" He cut in gently. "Just ask me."

"There's some people that want to meet you." She sipped the drink.

"People? Like your friends and family?"

"Something like that."

"Well which is it?"

"Technically the last one." She poured more.

"Technically who is it?"

"My children." She knocked back the drink as she waited for what he'd say.

He blew out a breath. "You have kids?"

"Yeah." She stretched the word out.

"How many?"

"A set of twins."

"Wow. Twins. How old are they?"

"Five."

"Five months?"

"Five years."

"Oh wow. Um… what about their dad?"

"What about him?"

"Is he in the picture?"

"I'm not fucking him if that's what you mean."

"No, no! That wasn't… it… I mean I'm glad you're not but… I mean I've never dated a girl with kids before."

"You don't have to."

"I'm not-! Shit! I'm not saying I don't want you now. I'm just saying it's new information. I just need to process."

"This was a mistake." Marcy could see that now.

"No! Wait! I don't mind! I mean I'd love to meet them. When?"

She poured another drink and drank it. "Tomorrow."

"Why so soon?"

"That's when they picked."

"They really want to meet me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Could have something to do with them meeting their father's girlfriend tonight."

"Ouch! This is a double whammy for them, huh?"

"I suppose." Marcy didn't want this to happen.

"I can come over tomorrow and meet them. Your brother's place, right?"

"Yes."

"What time? We can catch a late movie."

"You still want to take me out?" She didn't know how to feel.

"Of course. I like you, Marceline Anne."

She was speechless for a moment and had to take a shot of vodka without juice. "Come over at eight thirty."

"Okay. Can I bring anything?"

"No, we're fine."

"Are you sure? I want them to like me."

"You're very likable."

"Thanks." There was a smile to his tone.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay. Eight thirty."

"Eight thirty. Bye."

"Bye."

She hung up and set the phone aside to tip the bottle of vodka back and chug it until her panic receded.


	13. ChapterThirteen

Mally closed the door. "Daddy! It's true! Mommy _does have a boyfriend!"_

Josh frowned. "Darn it!"

"We asked to meet him tonight."

"How are you doing with meeting all these people?" Greg wondered.

Mickey pouted down at her shoes. "I don't like her!"

Josh patted her head. "I know, honey. You want your parents together."

Mickey nodded before looking up at him with heartbreak in her eyes. "Why don't they love each other?"

"I believe they do but there's so much that happened between them that they can't see it."

"What happened?" Mally asked.

Josh shrugged. "I'm not sure."

"Was it us?" Mickey sniffled.

Greg swallowed. "No, sweetie. You were the good spots."

Mickey didn't believe him. She knew he lied sometimes and this felt like one.

"What did you say to Daddy's girlfriend last night?" Josh questioned.

Mally frowned. "He wanted us to say hi. So we did. She asked us how old we were and what we like to do for fun. I said five and we like to play with fire."

Josh's eyes widened. "Why would you tell her that?! What did Mommy and Daddy say?"

"Nothing."

Greg frowned in pure confusion. "Nothing?"

Mally shook his head, proud of himself. "Nope!"

Greg was five towns past confused. "We'll see you after-school. Go see Daddy."

The twins hugged them before running out.

Josh smiled. "I don't know what to do about him."

"He told that woman they like to play with fire." Greg was in shock.

Josh shook his head before leaning back. "They'll definitely keep them busy."

_**OF**_

Greg wanted to ask Marcy about the twins but this game was confusing. "You're going too fast!"

"The game is called _Speed_." Marcy set all her cards down.

He threw his cards down in anger. "You cheated!"

She raised a brow but said nothing about that. "Want to play again?"

"No." He sulked.

"Big baby. We can play _War_."

"War?" That sounded scary to him.

"It's easy." She lifted a shoulder as she shuffled the cards.

Josh looked at Greg. Both made faces before Greg gave up in exasperation. "So Marcy? The twins told us they met Mal's girlfriend last night."

Marcy looked up. "How'd they really feel about it?"

"They're not really in favor of her."

She shrugged nonchalantly. "You don't like everybody."

Josh's brows raised. "We're sorry about what Mally said."

"What'd he say?" She passed out the cards.

"That they like to play with fire."

She said nothing.

"That doesn't bother you?" Greg was surprised. *She must not like this woman either!*

"Why would it bother me?"

"Because they said something so bad!" Josh exclaimed.

Marcy paused in passing out the cards and sent him a blood chilling look. "_I _played with fire."

_Of course_… Greg gulped. "You played with fire?"

"Yes." She went back to passing out the cards.

"That's- that's not good." Josh stammered.

"There's nothing wrong with fire." She finished passing out the cards and organized her pile.

"But you could get hurt!"

"You can get hurt getting out of bed."

She was right but that didn't mean he wasn't. "Do you play with fire now?"

"No."

"So you outgrew it?"

"No."

"I'm so confused!"

"The twins do _not _play with fire." Greg made that known. "They're never near it."

She said nothing.

"Do you think it's genetic?"

Marcy shrugged.

"You don't want to talk about this anymore, do you?" He guessed.

"Nope."

"Alright." He sighed. "Teach me this game."

_**OF**_

"Goodnight, Daddy." Mickey hugged Greg.

"Goodnight, my sweet girl." Greg hugged her back.

"Night, Daddy!" Mally hugged Josh.

"Goodnight, sweetie." Josh hugged him back. "Has Mommy said anything about her boyfriend?"

Mally pulled a face. "His name is Bryan and he's coming over at eight thirty."

"Daddy and I are giving you permission to be exactly how you want."

"Really?" Mally didn't trust this.

"Yes. Scare him good."

Greg facepalmed, not believing he was actually going along with this. "We know you can do it."

"Yay!" Mally wiggled happily.

Josh kissed his head. "Go on. Go now."

Mally and Mickey ran out and downstairs amidst "I love you"s.

"Are you sure this is the right thing?" Greg wasn't so sure.

"Yes!" Josh was positive. "He'll get a dose of the twins at their worst and run off. That girl won't come back. They'll have no choice but to work out their differences."

Greg eyed him, wondering just when did his husband get this delusional. "Okay, Josh."

_**OF**_

Mally rubbed Marcy's leg, liking when she brushed his hair and hummed. He felt safe.

Mal came in. "Who's ready for a story?"

Mickey sat up and picked up a large book. "This one!"

He crossed the room and took it from her as he sat next to her. "Ooh! _Hanzel and Gretal_! You know it sounds so much better in German."

"German? You speak German, Daddy?" Her little mouth fell open.

"Yes, I do. Our family taught me when I was even younger than you."

"Really?" Her eyes rounded.

"Uhm hmm."

"We don't know anything." She pouted.

"You know English. I was about your age when I was finally able to understand English."

"Really? Why didn't you know English?"

"It wasn't my first language. Then when someone did try to teach me, I was so confused. English is hard. I still mess up sometimes."

She looked at him, shocked. He was this person. Not knowing him made her wonder about him and his life but she didn't really realize he had a life before her. "Wow."

"Mommy was six before she could understand English."

Mally looked back at his mother. "Six?! Why?!"

"Daddy's right. English is super hard when it's not your first language." Marcy stopped brushing.

"How many languages do you know?"

Marcy blinked slowly. "I don't know. It's a lot."

"What about you, Daddy?" Mickey looked up at him.

"Almost ten." Mal replied.

Mickey's jaw dropped. "Ten?!"

He nodded.

"Wow!"

The doorbell rang and everyone tensed up.

Marcy set Mally on his feet then took his hand to lead him out.

Mal picked up Mickey and followed.

Marcy opened the door. "Hi."

"Hi." Bryan waved.

"Come in." She opened the door wider.

He stepped inside, nervous.

She shut the door. "Would you like to sit?"

"Yes please." Before his legs gave out.

They all moved to sit down.

She pulled Mally back into her lap. "Guys, this is Bryan. Bryan, these are my kids, Mally and Mickey."

Bryan gulped. "Hi." The only child he knew was his niece and she was much younger than them.

Mally glared at him.

Mickey buried her face in Mal's chest.

Marcy pinched Mally's cheek. "Say hi, guys."

"Hi." Mickey whispered.

"Hi." Mally spat out.

"I got these for you." Bryan held out two tubes.

"Go get it." Marcy urged.

Mally moved off her lap to take the tubes. He gave one to his sister before returning to his mom.

"What do you say?"

"What is it?"

"It's bubbles." Marcy unscrewed the top then blew into the wand.

Bubbles floated out and burst in his face. He giggled.

Marcy blew one more time before closing the bottle. "Say thank you."

"Thank you." Mally didn't want to do that.

"Thank you." Mickey still spoke to her dad's front.

Bryan bobbed his head. "You're welcome."

It was deathly silent in that room as no one knew what to say.

Marcy sighed before rolling her eyes. "The twins are in kindergarten."

"I remember kindergarten." Bryan grabbed the lifeline. "It was the most fun I'd ever had in school."

"School's not fun!" Mally bit off. "It's boring!"

"You don't like school?"

"No! Only stupid heads like school!"

Bryan had nothing to say to that.

Marcy tapped Mally's knee. "Everyone has different experiences."

Mally crossed his arms.

Bryan gulped. "What do you like to do for fun?"

"Set things on fire." Mally sniped.

Mal's lips twitched.

"Oh?" Bryan made eye contact with Marcy, pleading for help optically.

"I think it's bed time." Marcy said.

Mally didn't move a muscle. "Why are you around my Mommy?"

"Mally!"

Bryan swallowed. "I like her."

"Why? She doesn't know you." Mally glared.

"I want to get to know her and have her get to know me. I think we could have something special."

Mal fought to keep the disgust off his face.

Mally didn't. "That's stupid. She doesn't like you."

"Mally!" Marcy couldn't believe him.

"It's alright, Marceline Anne." Bryan halted her. "He doesn't trust me yet. But I'll prove to all of you that I'm here for you."

Marcy looked at him, softening towards him. This wasn't making him run for the hills?

Mal stared at her in horror. Was she buying this?!

Mally glared at Bryan. "You're a poopyhead!"

"Alright, young man!" Marcy stood up with him in her arms. "I'll be back, Bryan-"

"He's not going away?!"

"You, hush!" She glared down at him before addressing Bryan. "I'll be back."

"Goodnight." Bryan waved to the kids as their parents took them to the back room.

Mally stuck his tongue out at him over his mom's shoulder.

Mal shut the door behind him then crossed the room to sit Mickey on the bed.

Marcy laid Mally down then gave him a look.

Mally pouted, knowing he was in trouble. Would she not like him anymore?

"No matter who comes into my life, I will never stop caring about you." Marcy told him.

He blinked. He didn't expect that. "Really?"

"Really. I'm always going to care about you two. No matter what. No matter how bad you act or how much you push me away. I'll always love you."

The twins looked at her in awe. It was the first time she'd said she loved them.

Mickey wiped away tears.

Mal helped her. "Why are you crying?"

Mickey shrugged but she knew.

He kissed her plump cheek. "Both Mommy and I love you two more than life itself. We'll never replace you or get rid of you or stop loving you. You're ours. Forever."

Mickey hugged him.

Mally swallowed past the lump in his throat. "Will you sing for us?"

"I'll always sing for you." Marcy sat on the bed. She began singing an Italian lullaby.

Both twins fell asleep.

Marcy and Mal kissed them before leaving. He wanted to say something to her and she could tell.

She walked off back to the living room.

He dropped his head and went to his room.

She made it to the front room and sat on the chair's arm. "Hey?"

"Hey." Bryan took a deep breath.

"Sorry about that. He doesn't know that love is infinite."

He cocked his head. "That's okay. I wasn't okay with my mother dating at first. I had to get used to it."

"He'll calm down."

"I'm sure. Are you ready?"

"Yeah. I should probably tell Mal I'm leaving. Just in case."

Bryan frowned. "Mal? Mally? That sounds a lot alike."

She lifted a shoulder before leaving. She went to Mal's room and knocked on the door.

Mal answered. "Yeah?"

"I'm going out."

He hated that. "You don't have a cell phone. How will I be able to reach you if there's an emergency?"

She lifted her shoulders.

"Here. Take mine." He went to go get it. He told her the passcode. "Be safe."

"Thanks." She gave him a look he couldn't interpret before leaving.

He watched her walk down the hall before closing the door.

_**OF**_

"So you're twenty one with five year old twins?" Bryan said suddenly.

They were at a late night dive getting a bite to eat after the movie.

She looked up at him in surprise. They haven't said anything since they left the theater and he wanted to know if she were hungry. "Yes."

"That couldn't have been easy. You were in high school, right?"

"I was."

"But you've been in Russia all this time? Did you run away from home to have them?"

She stared at him.

"Is that why seeing your family is so hard? Why Mally and Mal seem so intent on protecting you? You were alone in a foreign country, raising twins as a kid?"

She just stared at him.

"You don't want to talk about it."

"No."

"If at any time, I'm prying, just let me know. This is new. I don't want to push."

"Thank you." She said after a while.

"But you know you're going to have to tell me something eventually." He tried to tell her with his eyes that he'd understand anything she told him.

She got the message but knew it wasn't true. There was too much in her past to ignore. So she'd never tell him. "Thank you."

"Let's talk about something lighter. How'd you like the movie?"

_**OF**_

Josh nearly hurt himself sitting up when the twins came in. "How'd it go?"

"They went on a date!" Mally wailed.

"They went on a date?" Josh was so confused.

"Mommy said that after we went to sleep, she and that butthead went on a date." He sulked.

"Mally, it's not nice to call people names." Greg chided. "When did Mommy tell you this?"

"On the way over here." Mickey reported.

"You didn't scare him off?" Josh was disappointed.

"He said he liked her." Mally was still miffed.

"He bought us bubbles." Mickey said.

"That was nice of him." Greg knew they were having a hard time with this.

Mickey hunched her shoulders. "Mommy told us that she loves us."

"She did?" That made him happy.

Mally finally smiled. "She said no matter what."

Josh smiled, too. "Of course she does. How can she not?"

The twins beamed.

"Come on. Give us hugs so you can go to school."

_**OF**_

"The twins told us about Bryan." Josh brought up.

Marcy looked over from taking her turn at the marble game. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"Did they say how they really felt?"

"They're not a fan."

"Understandable." She took her turn.

"Is this guy going to be a permanent fixture in the twins' lives?"

"No." Marcy shook her head.

Greg had expected her to say something diplomatic. "Really?"

She scoffed. "No."

"You don't see it going anywhere?" Josh was shocked.

"It's not going anywhere."

"Then why are you dating him? Don't you want to get married?"

"I already told you. I'm never getting married. I'm not marrying anybody."

"So you're going to date him for the rest of your life?"

_Technically_… "We're not long term. It's going to end soon."

"Then why don't you end it now?" Greg was confused.

"Why? He's nice and he takes me out. I'll leave him alone when he shows his real colors."

"Shows his real colors? You don't think he's nice underneath it all?"

"Nice is fine but I'm not about to ruin my life for it."

"Ruin your life? Is that how you think of marriage?" Josh was appalled.

"There's no reason for anyone to want to get married. It's a terrible idea. It's never benefitted anyone. Getting attached to other people is a crock."

Josh was horrified. _Who thinks like this?! _"You're going to spend your life alone?"

"I was born alone. I'm going to die alone. Why should the middle be any different?" She finally ended her turn. "I win."

Greg looked down at the game before up at her. This girl was deeply complex and had to be hurting somewhere deep inside. No one was born that pessimistic.

"Want to play again?"

"Sure." Greg looked at Josh while her head was bent. He made an optic plea to his husband to use all his matchmaking skills to get her back with Mal. She needed it.

_**OF**_

Mal finished making the bed. "You can hop in now."

"I've got to pee." Greg hobbled out.

"I can help you!" Mal was basically talking to air. "Okay…"

Josh climbed in the bed. "The twins told us about Bryan."

Mal scowled. "How do they feel about it?"

Josh liked that both asked about the children's feelings. "They don't really like him."

Mal smirked.

"Do you like him?"

Mal's face went through some changes. "He's alright."

"Do you want him around the twins?"

Honestly he didn't. "Not really."

"You should tell her."

"She'd have a heart-attack."

Josh knew Marcy didn't want the kids around Bryan any more than Mal did. "You never know."

Mal took a deep breath. "Do you need anything?"

"I'm fine. I'm with my one true love. We might be going through something really awful but at least I have him. I don't know what I'd do without him. I love him so much."

Mal swallowed. He knew the feeling. "I'll- uh… let you rest."

"Okay."

"I'll be up to take pictures of you later." Mal left.

Greg hobbled back in. "How'd it go?"

Josh frowned. "He's so stubborn! But he'll crack. They always do."

_**OF**_

"How was your first week with Mommy and Daddy?" Josh asked the twins Friday morning.

"Good." Mickey played with the ends of her dress. "They sing to us and tell us stories."

"Oh really? Stories about what?"

"Stories from our books. Did you know Daddy can speak ten languages?"

"Wow! That's a lot!"

"I know. Mommy can speak more. They said they were our age when they learned English."

"That's… nice?" Josh didn't know what to say to that.

"Mommy says English is hard."

"Learning another language is always tough. But lucky for you, she knows English."

Mickey twisted up her face in thought. "Mommy did a lot of stuff afore she had us."

"She did?"

"Yes. She rode horses and she skated. She had trophies all over her closet. I even saw crowns."

"Wow. Mommy was accomplished."

"What's that mean?"

"It means she was able to do a lot of things."

"Oh. I guess she was then."

He could tell she had something on her mind. "What is it, sugar?"

"Will Mommy teach me anything?"

"You want her to teach you how to ride horses and skate?"

"And other stuff. She can cook really, really good. I want to cook."

"Tell her if she's handing out lessons, to teach your daddy." Greg snorted.

Josh didn't find that funny. "You can't cook either!"

Mickey giggled. "Do you think she will?"

"You can always ask her. I'm 1000% sure she'll say yes."

Mickey smiled. She'd ask her tonight.


	14. ChapterFourteen

"What are we going to do tomorrow?" Mickey asked as they climbed in the bed.

"What do you want to do?" Marcy tucked the covers around her.

"Can we help you take care of Daddy and Daddy?"

"You can help me cook and clean."

"Did they fire the housekeeper?"

"Yes. They don't need her anymore. They have me."

"Is she going to be okay?"

"Yes. She already found another job. She's fine."

Mickey thought about it. "What are we going to cook?"

"First there's breakfast and we can make anything you want. Then we'll clean up. Then we'll make lunch. Then I'll go with your daddies to their doctor's appointment while you stay with Daddy Mal. I'm sure he'll have something fun for you to do.

Then we'll come back and I'll start dinner."

"Will we get to see them during the day?"

"Not too much. They need their rest."

Mickey pouted. "Okay."

"Can we have friends come over?" Mally asked.

"I don't know, son." Mal demurred. "Your daddies are very sick."

"We'll be quiet." Mally promised.

"We'll see."

"That's what you said about church!" Mickey stuck her bottom lip out.

"We can find a church but you have to find the right church for you." Marcy shook her head.

"There's different churches?"

"Yes. They don't all teach the same thing. Don't worry. We'll find some place."

"Goodnight, Mommy." Mickey turned on her side. "Goodnight, Daddy."

"Goodnight, Mommy. Goodnight, Daddy." Mally turned his head and closed his eyes.

Marcy began singing the Chantels' _I Love You So._

Mal stared at her, blown away. That was their song.

The twins were asleep by the time she finished the short song so they kissed them and left.

Mal stared at her as she closed the door. "Marce?"

She wiped her face. "I'm going to take a bath."

"Marce,-"

"I'll see you in the morning." She went to her room for clothes.

He made a fist and hit his leg. What did it mean? Did she still love him? Had he not blown it? And if he hadn't, was he over his anger at her?

He hated all these unanswered questions but worse than not knowing was knowing.

So he went to his room.

_**OF**_

Mal wasn't paying attention when his phone rang. He expected it to be Marcy calling him to come back to the Davidsons but it wasn't. "Hello?"

"Hi." Came Cynthia's quiet voice. "It's me."

"Cynthia." He blinked in shock. He thought she was through with him.

"I think I'm ready to accept your news. I was really hurt but after talking with my mum, I realized that maybe I haven't made you feel secure enough to tell me these things. And I'm sorry for that."

He adjusted the phone. "It's not your fault. It's nothing you could have done differently. It's all just so complicated. I've never opened up about this before."

"Maybe we should slow it down? Get to know each other again? For real this time."

He knew he would not be opening up to her. Not the way she wanted. He opened his mouth to tell her that he thought it'd be better if they called it quits when he heard her sniffling. "Are you crying? Don't cry."

"I can't help it." She sniffled hard. "It's just that I love you."

It was like glass breaking. He immediately recoiled.

"You don't have to say it back. I know you have to be careful because of your kids. But I do. I know you have baggage but I'm willing to wait until you love me back. So I'm going to get off the mobile and I'll talk to you later. Goodbye."

He stared at his phone in horrified shock. This was not good!

_**OF**_

"Have you seen Bryan again?" Josh asked with a cough.

Mally shook his head. "She doesn't talk about him. I don't think she likes him."

Josh was inclined to agree. "Do you want to see him again?"

Mally wrinkled his face. "No!"

Greg chuckled. "You're determined to get between them, aren't you?"

Mally nodded.

"What about Daddy's girlfriend?" Josh asked.

"Cynthia." Mickey made a face. "Daddy went out with her yesterday."

"You don't want Daddy with Cynthia either?"

"That's a stupid name." Mickey pouted.

"Don't tell her that, okay? That's not nice."

"Okay, Daddy."

"Now go on downstairs so Daddy can take you to school."

The twins ran out.

Greg pursed his lips as he gathered his thoughts. "I think it's time to talk to them. Just lay all our cards on the table."

"I think they need to go out on a date." Josh countered.

"How are we going to convince them to go out on a date together? They both have someone else. I don't think I've heard them say two words to each other that didn't have something to do with us or the twins."

Josh shook his head with a frown. "Can't you feel it?"

"Feel what?"

"Their love is magnetic, electric. It's in the air, crackling and snapping. How can you not feel it whenever they look at each other?"

Greg licked his lips. "I do. But whatever they went through was big."

"Love conquers all."

Greg took his hand. "I know you want the twins to have a stable life after we pass but-"

"It's not about that. It's not _just_ about that. Not anymore. I can see such pain in them. They're so young and it's like they're just passing through life. She tried to kill herself, Greg. Kill herself."

Greg could tell how much that bothered him. He kissed his cheek. "I know. I know."

Josh let out a sob. "I'd give anything to live. But she wants to throw it all away. It's not fair."

"We don't know her story."

"What could possibly happen that would make a person want to end it all?" Josh didn't understand it.

Greg knew that. Josh grew up in a hippie household where everything was all love, all the time. Greg grew up much different. "I contemplated suicide once."

Josh gasped and looked at him, frightened. "You did?"

Greg nodded, not loving opening up about this but it's about time he told his love this. "I was bullied in school. I'm not particularly flamboyant but it's obvious I'm gay and no one in my small town liked it."

"I thought you came out in college?"

"I did. My family had their heads in the sand. My dad would just tell me to toughen up. So I tried. I tried not to let their words get to me. Their actions.

But it was hard. When I went to college, I was a mess. It took a year for me to come out of my room for anything other than class and meals.

And then I met this boy.

He was light personified." Greg sniffled as he choked up, remembering. "He was out and proud and brought joy to everyone he met. Everyone loved him.

And he chose me. Even though I was still in the closet. Even though I reacted like a wounded bear every time anything happened. He helped me find out exactly who I was."

"What happened?" Josh felt pangs of jealousy.

Greg looked away. "He was out of town doing volunteer work and ran into a crowd of gaybashers. They beat him to death."

Josh's heart sank. "I'm so sorry."

Greg looked down. "I didn't know what to do. Why was this light suddenly gone from the world? It didn't make sense.

I was a mess. I went to his funeral and my friends mourned him and his family was incredible but I still was so hurt.

I stopped going to class. I stopped hanging out with friends. I stayed in my room all day and all night, crying.

My- my parents found out and came to chew my head off about me throwing my future away for a friend.

My dad literally said friends don't matter." Greg scoffed. "I couldn't take it anymore. I just started screaming about how I was gay and everybody knew it and Cody wasn't a friend; he was my boyfriend.

My dad gave me this disgusted look and told me I wasn't his son anymore. My mom begged for me to say I was confused. That I didn't know because the school was messing with my head. She said they'd send me to a different school.

But I couldn't deny who I was any longer. I told her that I loved Cody and they left. Dad stopped paying my bills and sent me my stuff.

Without money, I got kicked out of school. So I was homeless, family-less, penniless and loveless.

I bought a used car with the rest of my money and I slept in it for six months. I traveled around the country doing odd jobs until I landed here. I found steady work and then I went back to school after getting an apartment.

I graduated and looked for work in my field. I got myself together.

Then I met you." Greg looked at Josh.

Josh couldn't believe Greg had held all that up inside him. He was heartbroken. "When did you try to commit suicide?"

"In those months I was homeless. I had a job cleaning a motel and I found a gun. I just kept thinking that life was so unfair. Why did all this have to happen to me?

I kept the gun on me and one night, it was raining and I'd had caught a cold. I felt miserable and it just clicked. What was the purpose of being alive?

I'd never handled a gun before so I didn't know what I was doing. I put the gun in my mouth and pulled the trigger."

Josh was sick to his stomach.

"The gun didn't go off. It didn't even have a magazine in it. I felt awful. Threw the gun and cried myself to sleep.

When I woke up, I drove until I ran out of gas. Ended up in a small town in Oklahoma. Found a woman, who was really nice to me.

She let me live in her barn and cooked for me in exchange for work on her farm. She was really nice."

"Why didn't you stay?"

"She was beginning to like me. And I felt something for her, too. I thought that maybe I had been confused. That I didn't know what I was. But every time I tried to envision making something more of us, I would see Cody's face.

I felt so ashamed that I left in the middle of the night and never came back."

Josh's lips parted. "You loved a woman?"

"As much as I could love any."

Josh felt out of sorts. He'd never had a first love until he met Greg. It'd all been puppy love so he'd assumed it'd be the same for him. That was _not_ the case. "Oh."

Greg cupped his cheek and looked him deeply in the eye. "I have never loved _anyone_ the way I've loved you. You have my heart."

Josh let loose the storm inside him. "Why didn't you tell me any of this?"

"I didn't know how to talk about it."

Josh kissed him. "I love you so much! You've been through so much and you made me feel loved! How are you this strong?!"

Greg shrugged. "You made me open my heart. You made me who I am today. Thank you."

Josh hugged him tightly.

_**OF**_

Josh had been thinking all morning. What Greg had told him of his past made him really think about Marcy. Thinking back he'd seen shadows in Greg's eyes. The same shadows he saw in Marcy's.

If she'd been through half of the things Greg had been through, no wonder she wanted to kill herself. But he couldn't let her. Their children needed her and Greg was proof positive that life does get better.

He waited while she explained the rules of another game to Greg then while she was distracted taking her turn, he opened his mouth. "Are you straight?"

No one said anything though both turned to look at him like he was crazy.

"Marcy." He clarified. "Are you straight?"

"That's a helluva question to ask somebody, Josh." She raised a brow.

"I mean I know you've had sex with a man before because the twins but you seem-"

"Straight as my hair?"

He made a sound. "I'm being serious. What's your sexual orientation?"

"Why?"

He shrugged but didn't meet her gaze. "What if one or both of the twins are gay?"

"A straight person can support a gay person as well as another gay person, Josh. Empathy knows no bounds."

Though he liked her answer, it was the wrong one. "So you're straight?"

"No."

"You're gay?" He blinked, astonished.

"No."

"But-?"

"I'm bi."

He almost dismissed it but realized that'd be ignorant. "I've never understood that. How's it feel?"

"The same as if I were straight or gay. I'm attracted to women and I'm attracted to men."

"Have you ever been with a woman?"

"Yes."

He was shocked. "Were you with women in Russia?"

"Yes."

He couldn't close his mouth. "But you seem so…"

"So what?" Her face said to tread carefully.

"I don't know." He was honest. "You have a very feminine shape but everything about you screams boy. Are you transgender?"

"No."

"You don't like me calling you a boy, do you?"

"I do not."

"I'm not trying to offend. Did your sexuality play into your decision to give the twins up?"

"No."

"Did it hinder your relationship with Mal?"

"No." Her voice grew soft.

He could tell there was something there. "Are you sure?"

"He never asked me to change." Her gaze grew unfocused.

Josh liked that. "Was your family accepting?"

"About being bi? They got over it."

"What about your town? Was Ohio an accepting place to grow up?"

Marcy scoffed before turning back to Greg. "No."

Josh's heart sank. "Were you bullied?"

"Why are you asking all these questions, Josh? Are you writing a book about me?"

"I just realized we don't know you."

"You're not supposed to."

"But we'd like to."

"We would." Greg nodded.

"It'd help us understand the twins better."

"You already understand the twins." Marcy frowned. "You were with them since the day they were born. You know their first smiles, their first steps, their first words. Mal and I will never know that."

"You regret it, don't you?" Greg knew.

"I don't believe in regrets." She lifted her chin, emerald eyes hard.

"Why did you give up the twins?" He asked softly.

"Why do you care? You got to have them." Her eyes became unfocused again. "You got to have them during bathtime and their first laughs and their first day of school. You got to smell their fresh baby scent. You got to hear them call for you when they had nightmares. You got them."

"But you wanted that. Didn't you? You never wanted to give them up."

She popped up. "I'll go check on when the shuttle's coming back." She fairly ran out.

Josh felt out of sorts again. "She's hiding something."

Greg shook his head. "There's something going on with her that she's not telling. I can feel it. She didn't want to give the twins up."

"Mal was upset when he signed the papers. I know in my heart he didn't want to give them up. If neither one of them wanted to give them up, why did they?"

_**OF**_

"Hey, Mal?" Greg stopped the youth from leaving.

"Yeah?" Mal came back inside.

Josh passed him. "Bathroom."

Mal nodded before sticking his hands in his pockets. "What's up?"

"Mickey's first word was blue." Greg watched him carefully.

Mal blinked, shocked and confused. "Really?"

"Yes. She pointed to her blue blankie and just said it."

Mal had a complicated look on his face as emotions swirled in his heart. "Oh."

"Mally's first word was car."

Mal nodded. "Thank you."

"Do you understand why I'm telling you this?"

Mal shook his head.

"So you'll know your children. But that's just little stuff. You'll learn the big stuff soon enough. I just have a feeling you wish you wouldn't have missed out on any of it."

Mal shrugged and turned away. "I should go. I gotta develop the pictures I took yesterday."

"Mal. You didn't want to give up the twins. Did you?"

"No." Mal's voice was quiet.

"Then why did you?"

"I can't talk about this."

"You have to admit it. Even if it's just to me. Why did you sign the papers if you didn't want to?"

Mal swallowed hard and looked at him, chestnut eyes blazing. "I was mad. She still hadn't changed her mind and then she wouldn't even hold them. She kept saying that we had to give them up so I signed. I thought that after I calmed down, I could talk to her. Get her to change her mind.

But she was gone the next morning."

Greg's eyes widened. He could nearly literally hear what Mal wasn't saying. "It broke you."

Mal looked away and shook his head. "I'm not talking about this."

"You gave up your children and the love of your life left you." Greg was horrified by the hurt he knew Mal must have been feeling.

Mal shook. He didn't want to go down memory lane. Those years after Marcy left and he had to stay in Lima was the worst of his life. It had been a dark, dark time and he never wanted to revisit it. "Call me if you need anything."

Greg watched him leave.

Josh came back in a minute later. He climbed in the bed. "How'd it go?"

"He's shattered."

"Shattered?"

"He never wanted to give the twins up. He thought he could change her mind. But she was gone."

"So it was Marcy's idea to give the twins up?"

"I suppose so."

"I just don't understand why. She obviously wanted them. He wanted them. Why did they give us their children?"

Greg had a feeling it wasn't good. "I don't know, Josh. I don't know."

_**OF**_

Mal picked up his phone. "Hello?"

"Hello."

"Hi, Cynthia. What's up?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to go to karaoke tonight?"

"Oh. Um… okay. I don't sing but-"

"Actually that's not all. I want Marcy to come."

He blinked, blown away. "I don't know."

"I can set her up with a coworker."

"No." His brows drew together before he realized that was forceful. "I mean, she has a boyfriend."

"She does?! Yay! Okay, it can be a double date!"

"We don't have anyone to watch the twins."

"Can't you find a sitter?"

He really didn't want to leave his children with anyone else but he had no good excuse. "I guess."

"It'll be fun. We can get sushi after. Bye!"

He frowned. She'd hung up. He didn't even get to tell her that Marcy didn't eat fish. His shoulders sagged. How was he even supposed to tell Marcy this?

_**OF**_

Mal waited for the twins to go upstairs to see Greg and Josh before going to the kitchen to see Marcy. "Hey?"

"Hey." She was chopping celery and carrots.

"Can we talk?"

She'd really rather they didn't. "About what?"

"About Cynthia."

"What about her?"

"She wants to go out tonight." He sat at the island and watched her.

"Good for you, I guess."

"No. She wants you to come, too."

She stopped chopping and looked up. "What?"

"She wants you to bring Bryan. She wants a double date."

"Why?"

"She likes you."

Thoughts flew through her mind but she said nothing.

"I understand if you don't want to. I still haven't explained about us-"

"There is no us."

He glared at her. "You're not the only one who gets to be mad!"

"Excuse you?! How dare you be mad at me!"

"Are you kidding me?! How dare I-?! How dare I?!"

"Yeah! How dare _you_! There's nothing you can say that will excuse what you did!"

"Like what you did wasn't worse!"

"I did the right thing, you selfish bastard!"

"I'm selfish?! You've never thought about another person a day in your life!"

"You don't know me."

He was breathing heavily as he tried to catch his breath. He couldn't believe she said that. "I don't know you?"

Tears lined her lashes. "You don't."

"Mommy? Daddy?" Came Mickey's terrified voice.

Marcy turned around to wipe her eyes.

Mal gulped and tried to calm down. "What's going on, Mick?"

"You're yelling again." Mickey held Mally's hand in fear.

"We're sorry, baby." Marcy pinched her nose and breathed deeply before facing the twins.

Mally went to her and raised his arms.

She picked him up. "Are you okay? Are you hungry? Your snack is waiting for you."

Mally hated to see her so upset. It made him upset. He nodded.

She set him down. "Go sit down and eat."

Mal put Mickey in a high stool. "There you go, Princess."

Mickey hated to see him upset. It made her upset. "Thank you, Daddy."

Mal placed his hand on her head. He looked up at Marcy, who went back to chopping. He cleared his throat. "Cynthia really wants this."

"There's no one to watch the twins." Marcy said softly.

"Are you going away?" Mickey grew frightened again.

"Hush. Eat your food."

Mal eyed her even though she kept her eyes from him. "I can find a sitter."

"No."

"It's not a full time nanny. It's just one night."

"Fine!" She slammed the knife down. "Get just anybody to watch our kids! But if anything happens, I'm blaming you." She stormed out.

He thought about what happened to them when they were five and how anything could happen under the less than watchful eye of a trusted sitter. Maybe he should tell Cynthia no?

The twins were looking at him, wide-eyed.

He realized and rushed to reassure them. "Nothing's going to happen to you. You'll always be safe. I promise."

The twins looked at each other before going back to their snack.

Mal felt defeated. "I'm going to go check on your daddies. I'll be right back."

_**OF**_

Mal stopped the car outside of the karaoke bar. There wasn't any parking nearby so he went around to find a space. It took some time to find one but he was able to.

He turned the engine off and stared at the steering wheel. "I'm sorry."

Marcy looked at him.

"For yelling at you? It wasn't right. I just got mad. I'll do better."

She stared at him, thoughts racing through her mind at warp-speed.

He finally looked up at her but she turned her head to get out. He sighed and got out to follow her.

They went around a few blocks to find the bar again and went inside. They searched for Cynthia, who'd texted that she was there first.

They found her at a table near the front. "Hi!" She waved.

Mal kissed her cheek before pulling out Marcy's chair.

She looked at it and him before sitting down. "Hey."

Mal sat between them, feeling it poignantly. "How are you?"

"I'm super excited. You've never heard me sing before. I'm not a professional or anything but I like my voice." Cynthia chattered.

Mal bobbed his head, listening with half an ear.

Bryan walked up as she was describing her favorite genres to sing. "Hey!"

"Hey." Marcy turned to him. "This is Cynthia, Mal's girlfriend. Cynthia, this is Bryan."

Bryan shook her hand. "Nice to meet you."

Cynthia was surprised at how cute he was. She shook his hand with a wink at Marcy.

Marcy wondered just what the hell that wink was about but ignored it.

A waitress came by. "Anything to drink?"

"I'll take a glass of red wine." Cynthia ordered.

"I'll take a draft beer." Bryan looked at Marcy.

"Water please." Marcy said quietly.

"Do you have Equiet?" Mal asked.

The waitress's brows climbed. "Actually, we do! Not many people know about that brand."

Mal shrugged.

"Want it in a bottle?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Alright. I'll get those over to you." She left.

"What's Equiet?" Cynthia wanted to know.

"Beer." Mal answered.

"I've never heard of it."

He didn't say anything.

She realized he didn't know what to say back so she smiled. "So, Bryan, what do you do?"

"I'm an accountant." Bryan knew his job was boring but he loved numbers.

"I've never been good with numbers. I hated maths."

He figured. "I'm sure you have other talents."

Cynthia liked that he thought so. "Not really. I'm really adequate."

"You're more than adequate, Cynthia." Mal didn't like her saying that.

"I can already tell you're kind and thoughtful and a really great friend." Marcy didn't like it either.

Cynthia smiled. She had lots of friends now that she was pretty and a model but they all felt fake. No one knew the real her. These were the first people to say anything like this to her. It made her feel really good. "Thank you."

"I've just met you and I can tell you're awesome." Bryan shrugged.

She blushed. Marcy was right. If she'd broken up with Mal two weeks ago, she'd have missed out on this. "Thank you."

"You say you've got a voice?" Marcy pointed towards the stage. "Get up there and knock out an anthem. Let everybody hear you."

Cynthia beamed. "I think I will!"

The club clapped for the song ending.

Cynthia jumped up and went to sign up. "I signed us each up."

"What?!" The trio didn't expect that.

"We all need to loosen up and have fun. We're young and in a great city. We'll never get this time back."

Marcy glared at Mal.

Who pouted. He didn't want to sing. Not in front of people.

Bryan gulped. He already knew he didn't have a good voice. He didn't particularly relish letting all these people know firsthand.

"It'll be fun!" Cynthia swore. "You'll see!"

_**OF**_

Cynthia went onstage and picked up the mic. She was nervous but she loved to sing so she would. It was time to come out of her shell. As much as she accused Mal of hiding from her, she hid from him.

It was time to change that…

The music started and she started singing Britney Spears' _Overprotected_. The crowd rocked out along with her and she felt on fire.

When it ended, she bowed with a laugh and walked off stage. She went to go sit back down. "That was so much fun!"

"You did so good!" Bryan was surprised.

"Really?!"

"Yeah!"

"You did really well." Marcy complimented.

Mal rubbed Cynthia's back. "I'm proud of you."

Cynthia beamed. "It's your turn."

"Whose?"

The announcer read the name of the next person performing. "Marcy?!"

Marcy frowned. _Just great_…

"You got it!" Cynthia urged.

"We're rooting for you." Bryan promised.

Mal made eye contact with her. He knew how hard this would be for her. He wished he'd just told Cynthia no and they could be at home with their twins right now.

Marcy eyed him back before walking to the stage. The operator asked her what song did she want so she flipped through the book until one called to her.

And she knew all the words…

She took the mic and went onstage. Everyone quieted down and the music started. She looked out into the crowd and everything seemed to dim.

She found her table and looked at each of them but there was no one she saw but Mal. He was staring right at her and she never broke eye contact as she sung Christina Aguilera's _You Lost Me_.

His eyes were wide the whole time as her voice was infused with as much pain and heartache she could release without flat-out crying in public.

When she finished singing, she gave the mic back. No one made a sound as she went back to sit down then one by one until it was thunderous, people began applauding.

She sat down and sipped her water.

Bryan and Cynthia stared at her in shock. "You sound like that?!"

She said nothing, refusing to look at Mal, even though she knew he was staring at the table.

"That was _beautiful_." Cynthia couldn't believe it. "Are you a professional singer?"

"No."

"You should be!"

Bryan wanted to praise her but her whole aura screamed "leave me alone!" so he went a different route. "I'm up. Any requests?"

"Do a love song!" Cynthia winked at Marcy again.

Bryan laughed before going up. He sung Ricky Martin's _Livin La Vida Loca_. And he was right. He was bad. But people clapped for him anyway.

Mal was next so he went up and sung _I'll Be There_ by The Jackson 5. He stared right at Marcy the whole time.

She stared back. She wanted to believe him but she couldn't. The fact that she wanted to infuriated her. She should be over him. It had been so much time. So much had happened. She knew better. But her heart ached to believe him.


	15. UPDATE

I'm sorry to inform readers of this story that I will not be uploading any more of it. has been a really good website but it's just too hard to keep uploading stories to. If you want to continue wih this story or others I've written/am writing, head over to Wattpad. I'm in the process of uploading all of my stories onto that website and certain stories are already finished.

See you there!

Nene J. Phillips

Wattpad handle is NeneJPhilly


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